NOT working from home.
I avoid working on any schoolwork at home. If I have to come in early or leave a bit late in order to get things done I'd rather do that. Once I leave the campus I'm done. Dosen't always work out that way but I try.
I find this to be helpful as well. I must define boundaries in my life in order to keep any stress from work from bleeding into my home life. It's still a struggle, but this is one methods that makes it easier.
Timothy, Yes, setting limits can be tough - especially at first. If we've never drawn boundaries in the past, people can get upset with us when it happens for the first time. Hold your ground and you will find you have more time to help the people who need you the most.
Dr. Melissa Read
I find I work better on school related items at work.
I also find that:
A: home wants you home
B: student or staff sometimes cause interruptions that make A even harder to get to.
I learned the hard way about this topic. I felt that I was always stressed because I felt as if I never got a break from my job. I finally decided to stop bringing my work home and stay longer if I had to.
Jennifer, Sounds like you ultimately took the right approach. I know that saying No is a really tough thing to do. As instructors, we want to make sure we are always doing our best. But sometimes, we've got to push back with the interest of taking care of ourselves.
Dr. Melissa Read
CJ - your post made me laugh! Yes, home does want you home! I ask "home" to be flexible though if B just doesn't get a concept. One hour side-by-side with "home" watching TV and me on the computer is not a burden for either of us.
I know what you mean. Actually, I am taking this course so I won't bring things home AND I won't stay late to finish. I've reached the "not taking home part" but staying later means I won't be paid because I am "supposed to" get everything done within the correct timeframe. As I was working on this course today, the "higher up" manager came by and I was able to show her what I am learning---she was very impressed. And my family likes me better as well since I am no longer on the computer so late at night and am able to spend "home time" at home. Imagine that...
I agree with you totally, I felt the same way and started going in early and staying later if needed to avoid taking home school work. Now I face the calls frome home...why are you still at work, it is getting late, you don't get payed for this......so on and so on. I sometimes feel that I am in a no win situation.
i find school to be a tough environment to get anything done. i don't have an "office", just a classroom that changes from time to time. i find it much easier to concentrate at home, so i try to be home more and hanging out w/my man & cat while completing school work. if i had kids, i would, i'm sure, feel differently :)
Lorraine, Great points! Many instructors have no single place at school to get organized. When you are moving from classroom to classroom, your work bag becomes that place, and getting work done can be distracting. It sounds like you've found a wonderful office environment in your home and if it's working for you, keep working there!
Dr. Melissa Read
I'm in the same boat. Without an office, there is no good place to set up camp and deposit all of my teaching materials.
Though home can be distracting, I find that being in a comfortable environment where I can take a 5 minute mental break (even if it's just getting a snack, going to the bathroom, or watching a funny YouTube video) during lesson planning boosts my productivity and helps me tackle problems more creatively. When I did work in a communal office, it was hard to concentrate and there was no way to let my mind momentarily rest after a long period of work.
as program director in a new program i am responsible for our students, developing and teaching new courses and managing both on and offsite teaching facilities. i am an extremely organized person (have heard this from other faculty members who have experienced my management style) and try and communicate well when i delegate. but quite frankly there is too much to do and not enough time to do it. those things that require thoughtful reflection work best at home because my husband is very understanding and lets me be. However, doing things at home eventually turns into having to do them at home just to get them done because too much happens during the day. sometimes for some people, no doesn;at always mean no and interruptions during the day take on a life of their own. Its a work in progress and i am constantly trying to get control of all the work, get it organized and completed in a timely fashion.
