Productivity

I'm currently reading a book called The Productive Online and Offline Professor by Bonni Stachowiak.  I listen to her Teaching in Higher Ed podcast regularly and I like that she talks about being our best in our profession while also being our best in our lives.  That resonates with me.

After reading Ch 1 she suggests reflecting on 3 thoughts:  1-the meaning of productivity, 2- the purpose of productivity and 3-If I can achieve maximum productivity what will it free me from? 

#1:  Productivity means getting things done.  As I'm writing this, I'm switching back and forth to grade student projects.  While they load with my super slow internet access I process my thoughts here.  I like checking things off.  I learned a while back that somehow I've ingrained "work first, then rest."  I can't really rest if I feel there's work to be done.  My husband doesn't have this imaginary nag tapping him on the shoulder.  He can just take a break and rest.  So can my kids.  Somehow I'm the one who feels she has to constantly be achieving to earn the right to rest.  Yuck. I would like to drop kick the imaginary nag into tomorrow but actually doing so seems to be an elusive dream.

One thing I really like about higher ed is that there are ending points.  This Tuesday Summer 1 will end.  I design classes so that I'm not bombarded with work to grade at the end.  I also like to send celebratory emails to each student to tell them they're done and congratulate them on completing a milestone.  

I also like that I can make a to do list for the week and once everything is checked off I can rest.  The tricky thing is taking the time to focus on the important instead of just putting out the fires of the urgent.

#2:  The purpose of productivity is getting stuff done.  Answering student questions, improving the content of my courses, building courses for the future, grading, answering emails.  The list of productivity feels endless.

#3:  If I could achieve maximum productivity I would be freed from stress, guilt and worry.  There's a book title:  When I Relax I Feel Guilty.  Yep.  I don't know when I decided I had to be a robot that was "productive" 24/7 but I internalized that value.  I want to be freed from that cage.  I want to be able to rest knowing I've done enough and not let anyone down.

I love checklists because they allow me to list every detail that needs to be done and by checking them off I know I haven't forgotten anything.  I'm not a details person and they stress me out.  I love the big pictures and developing relationships.  The pesky details get in the way of me doing the important stuff;  the things that make my spirit soar.  However, I've learned that it's the details that can be very important.  In Summer 1 I had a checklist and I forgot to add that after each chapter quiz I needed to go in and double check that the "Connect robot" graded all the quizzes correctly.  I give partial credit and the grading robot never does.  I realized almost too late to go back and do this important step.

I added it to my checklist for Summer 2.  *eye roll*  The pesky details don't take much time or effort when I'm doing them but if I miss them they become super important.  

To me, productivity is impeded by my lack of efficiency and wasting time on tasks that don't really matter.  These are areas in which I can grow.  Bring on the growth so I can kick the imaginary nag to the curb.