One of the greatest struggles for academics is balancing life and work. I see this struggle already among graduate students and the lingering question follows us constantly: how can we enjoy the important things in life (family, friends, "the little things", our hobbies and interests) without sacrificing work? A recurring theme has happened this week that might shed some light on answers to this not-so-rhetorical question.
Thank you to a wonderful professor who sent me a book chapter about creating in the middle this week! This chapter gave some tips for meditating in order to focus on the task at hand, even when distractions surround you. As I read the chapter, I realize that I do many of these things already when I am trying to focus myself, but it was great to have a vocabulary and resource to reference!
I'm currently reading Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher by William Zinsser. Last night, I came across a part of his book where he says that he never let his writing interfere with his life. He never wrote in the evenings or on weekends - that was family time. I loved reading that even a well respected professor and educator created boundaries for keeping work and life separate.
Currently, I am struggling with this divide. I feel constant guilt at not giving my family and friends the attention they deserve due to my career aspirations. I feel an equally strong tug to indulge in my interests, which are many and diverge from graduate school and work.
May has been a particularly challenging month, but I feel it has been my chance to prove I can "create in the middle". It is almost the end of May, but I still have two celebrations left. After 5 birthdays, 1 anniversary, 1 dissertation defense, finals, graduations, and other celebrations, I am relieved to see my writing log. I haven't felt like I have worked this month at all because I have been so busy with the personal side of life.
Of the 31 days in May, I have been gone from my home for 16 of those days to visit other people for life celebrations. I have to admit it has been fun, but how is anyone supposed to be productive? Well, to continue Zinsser's Writing Places theme, I have written: at the beach, in a car (a lot!), late at night on friends' couches, in the country, and outside a movie theater. This month, I have written in 8 different cities in Texas. My writing log shows I have written over 40 hours this month (which is triumph all by itself!), and I have finished several large-scale tasks.
I don't claim to have it all figured out, and I certainly don't claim to know how to consistently create in the middle of life. However, after this month, I feel I am well on my way to better understanding how to manage life and career. May has been fun. I was productive. Best of all, I don't feel guilty for playing so much! :)
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Please don't throw tomatoes at me...
...unless you mean Pomodoro!
Surprise, surprise, I have another confession. Clearly, this blog is becoming the place where I atone for my misbehaviors as a writer, most often stemming from my stubbornness. Anyway, for the past year, I have heard colleagues refer to a writing technique called "Pomodoro". This technique is a way to monitor writing time without reaching the burnout stage. (More information can be found here.) The basic idea is to write for 25 minutes then take a 5 minute break. After a few cycles of this, a 15 minute break is given.
Like I said, I've seen colleagues use this technique, but I never put much faith into it. I've even worked beside colleagues who were using this technique and refused to play by the rules. This past week, I attended a four-day writing workshop that once again mentioned this Pomodoro strategy. Something in the way the instructor presented it struck a chord with me. I thought, "hmm...that's interesting, maybe I'll try it." I've tried it 3 times since then (including currently) and I love it! Why do I now love it, you ask? Simple. I am a multitasker and this strategy allows me to be more efficient and do more! (I'm not sure if that is the intended purpose of the strategy but it works for me!)
On Thursday, my house had reached cataclysmic levels of filth. Something had to be done, but alas, I had writing to do! I set the Pomodoro timer to 25 minutes and wrote. During the five minute break, I thought, "hey, I can clean a few counters in 5 minutes," which is exactly what I did. Then, I wrote for 25 more minutes. During the next break, I said, "I can sweep part of the floor in 5 minutes". This continued for 4 hours! By the time I had finished, I had written extensively, finished my writing to-do list, and cleaned both bathrooms in my house! It was magic.
The second time I tried Pomodoro, I took care of tedious little tasks I dislike like paying bills online, responding to emails, and such. Once again, I got all my writing done (plus some extra) and completed the mundane tasks I don't like. Today, I am integrating mini workouts with my writing. Write for 25 minutes, workout for 5. This appeals to my love of writing and dislike for working out but gets both things done.
As always, writing strategies amaze me. The benefits of having a set writing time, using new strategies, and having a support system to guide me through the process really are the difference between success and failure.
Surprise, surprise, I have another confession. Clearly, this blog is becoming the place where I atone for my misbehaviors as a writer, most often stemming from my stubbornness. Anyway, for the past year, I have heard colleagues refer to a writing technique called "Pomodoro". This technique is a way to monitor writing time without reaching the burnout stage. (More information can be found here.) The basic idea is to write for 25 minutes then take a 5 minute break. After a few cycles of this, a 15 minute break is given.
Like I said, I've seen colleagues use this technique, but I never put much faith into it. I've even worked beside colleagues who were using this technique and refused to play by the rules. This past week, I attended a four-day writing workshop that once again mentioned this Pomodoro strategy. Something in the way the instructor presented it struck a chord with me. I thought, "hmm...that's interesting, maybe I'll try it." I've tried it 3 times since then (including currently) and I love it! Why do I now love it, you ask? Simple. I am a multitasker and this strategy allows me to be more efficient and do more! (I'm not sure if that is the intended purpose of the strategy but it works for me!)
On Thursday, my house had reached cataclysmic levels of filth. Something had to be done, but alas, I had writing to do! I set the Pomodoro timer to 25 minutes and wrote. During the five minute break, I thought, "hey, I can clean a few counters in 5 minutes," which is exactly what I did. Then, I wrote for 25 more minutes. During the next break, I said, "I can sweep part of the floor in 5 minutes". This continued for 4 hours! By the time I had finished, I had written extensively, finished my writing to-do list, and cleaned both bathrooms in my house! It was magic.
The second time I tried Pomodoro, I took care of tedious little tasks I dislike like paying bills online, responding to emails, and such. Once again, I got all my writing done (plus some extra) and completed the mundane tasks I don't like. Today, I am integrating mini workouts with my writing. Write for 25 minutes, workout for 5. This appeals to my love of writing and dislike for working out but gets both things done.
As always, writing strategies amaze me. The benefits of having a set writing time, using new strategies, and having a support system to guide me through the process really are the difference between success and failure.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Revised Food Pyramid
I have a confession: I have never considered myself a good writer. I failed my 4th grade TAKS writing exam because I couldn't pass the written portion. I distinctly remember being taught how to write in a remedial summer class when I was 17. It was a glorious moment. Sun rays fell from the sky. The Rocky theme song played in the background. I was one happy girl.
As a member of the Millenial Generation, success is fleeting and instant gratification are necessary to my progress. I came to college, focused on English rhetoric, and became a creative writer. When I entered my doctoral program, I once again faced obstacles in writing. Academic writing scared me. No flourish? No exaggeration? No sarcasm? :( Intensive writing training became my future, and I have since learned a thing or two.
Since I have learned some of the nuances of academic writing and have improved as a writer, I find myself needing to write. When I don't write for a day or two, something twitchy starts happening in my eyes and fingers, and I get this deep-rooted anxiety. It isn't the same anxiety I used to get of "oh no, that paper is already due!?!" It's more like a "oh no, I skipped lunch and my body needs nourishment!" Once I sit down to write, whether it is for academic or personal purposes, I instantly feel better. My soul has been fed. My writing nourishment for the day is complete.
As a member of the Millenial Generation, success is fleeting and instant gratification are necessary to my progress. I came to college, focused on English rhetoric, and became a creative writer. When I entered my doctoral program, I once again faced obstacles in writing. Academic writing scared me. No flourish? No exaggeration? No sarcasm? :( Intensive writing training became my future, and I have since learned a thing or two.
Since I have learned some of the nuances of academic writing and have improved as a writer, I find myself needing to write. When I don't write for a day or two, something twitchy starts happening in my eyes and fingers, and I get this deep-rooted anxiety. It isn't the same anxiety I used to get of "oh no, that paper is already due!?!" It's more like a "oh no, I skipped lunch and my body needs nourishment!" Once I sit down to write, whether it is for academic or personal purposes, I instantly feel better. My soul has been fed. My writing nourishment for the day is complete.
In hopes of continuing on my writing journey, I've been reading William Zinsser's Writing to Learn for the past month. Two quotes have really spoke to me:
- "Writing can get into the corners that other teaching tools couldn't reach."
- "Revising helps the students to rethink."
A wise researcher once said, "good writing is good teaching". I am fortunate to dedicate my writing abilities to some teachers who helped me realize what I could accomplish with healthy writing habits. Writing takes me places I could not go alone. Writing allows me to explore. Writing opens my soul to the world around me. Writing bridges the gap between what I read and what I think. Writing is powerful.
Thanks to Zinsser's book, my great teachers, and a need to write daily, I have constructed the following letter to be sent to the USDA. Writing should be part of a healthy life!
Dear USDA,
I am writing to propose an amendment to the current dietary guidelines for Americans. I feel that an important component of daily nourishment is missing from the standards: writing. Please consider including a daily dose of writing in the revised guidelines.
Sincerely,
Concerned, but not-writing-malnourished graduate student
I am writing to propose an amendment to the current dietary guidelines for Americans. I feel that an important component of daily nourishment is missing from the standards: writing. Please consider including a daily dose of writing in the revised guidelines.
Sincerely,
Concerned, but not-writing-malnourished graduate student
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