Yes, it has started all over again. Such is the rhythm of academic life.
As usual, I am teaching the doctoral course called "Foundations of Public Health Inquiry". I really like teaching this course to the second year doctoral students. Over the years that I have been teaching it, I have come to see the pattern of learning that occurs among the students. They begin so naively, optimistically and earnestly. As they get into the middle of the course they begin to doubt themselves, and then the light goes on. And, they see where I have taken them. I love watching them on this journey.
Let's be clear. Having posted minimally over the summer is NOT an indicator of not having been working over the summer. Yes, I took a two week vacation and went to Iceland (the land of fire and ice, literally). But, the rest of the time I was working on: presentations, manuscripts, course preparation, grant management, hiring new RAs, writing and filing annual reports, writing grants, and editorship. Not such a bad list of work activities. Basically, all things that I wanted to be doing.
Showing posts with label Time at task. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Time at task. Show all posts
16 September 2011
16 March 2011
Mundane is not frustration free
For those of you who really want to know what a professor does, here a list of recent mundane and routine activities.
* Spent innumerable phone calls to three persons to sort out the project budget and get coordinated for submission of the budget through the appropriate University channels.
* Spent oodles of time fussing with the budget, after I created it in Excel, to get the amounts to come out as needed. Yes, we do work backwards from a bottom line. That's a whole skill unto itself, given that quirks of calculating the indirect costs and fringe benefits.
* Wrote the renewal for the KRISP grant, finessing the finer points of objectives not met.
* Spent hours uploading the renewal files into HRSA's antiquated online grants reporting system.. Unfortunately, very few grants managers on campus know how to use it, so me and my project coordinator have become the experts.
* Directed my project director to call tech support for that online system. The answers, my friend, were basically blowing in the tiny font, several links buried.
* Emailed communications with a student and her master's paper second readers (yes, the unusual plural) to get coordinated on helping the student.
* Wrote revisions to two manuscripts which had received a "revise and resubmit" decision. Oh, the allure of publication.
* Attended faculty meetings and more faculty meetings. Mostly surprisingly good.
* Meet students at a WIC clinic in south Chicago. It was a field trip for the MCH students, so that they could see first hand what it is like and learn what is involved for pregnant women and mothers with infants to get WIC assistance.
* Skimmed or read articles in the stack of professional journals that never seems to get any smaller. If only that would happen for me with some highly valued commodity...
* Forwarded to co-authors notification of one papers and a symposium that was accepted for presentation at Academy of Management. Getting accepted for this is a medium big deal. You'll hear more about that as that meeting nears.
* Made hotel reservations for the upcoming KRISP Project and conference travel. The university system doesn't allow for making reservations (although we can purchase the plane ticket), and hotels require a credit card number to hold the room.
* Oh, and least I forget, did my Editor-in-Chief work of finding reviewers for manuscripts, accepting/rejecting submissions, and generally keeping the email communication up to date.
All in all, not glamorous, not flashy. Just mundane with a hefty dose frustration (I'll let you guess which activities). Still, I got the jobs done.
* Spent innumerable phone calls to three persons to sort out the project budget and get coordinated for submission of the budget through the appropriate University channels.
* Spent oodles of time fussing with the budget, after I created it in Excel, to get the amounts to come out as needed. Yes, we do work backwards from a bottom line. That's a whole skill unto itself, given that quirks of calculating the indirect costs and fringe benefits.
* Wrote the renewal for the KRISP grant, finessing the finer points of objectives not met.
* Spent hours uploading the renewal files into HRSA's antiquated online grants reporting system.. Unfortunately, very few grants managers on campus know how to use it, so me and my project coordinator have become the experts.
* Directed my project director to call tech support for that online system. The answers, my friend, were basically blowing in the tiny font, several links buried.
* Emailed communications with a student and her master's paper second readers (yes, the unusual plural) to get coordinated on helping the student.
* Wrote revisions to two manuscripts which had received a "revise and resubmit" decision. Oh, the allure of publication.
* Attended faculty meetings and more faculty meetings. Mostly surprisingly good.
* Meet students at a WIC clinic in south Chicago. It was a field trip for the MCH students, so that they could see first hand what it is like and learn what is involved for pregnant women and mothers with infants to get WIC assistance.
* Skimmed or read articles in the stack of professional journals that never seems to get any smaller. If only that would happen for me with some highly valued commodity...
* Forwarded to co-authors notification of one papers and a symposium that was accepted for presentation at Academy of Management. Getting accepted for this is a medium big deal. You'll hear more about that as that meeting nears.
* Made hotel reservations for the upcoming KRISP Project and conference travel. The university system doesn't allow for making reservations (although we can purchase the plane ticket), and hotels require a credit card number to hold the room.
* Oh, and least I forget, did my Editor-in-Chief work of finding reviewers for manuscripts, accepting/rejecting submissions, and generally keeping the email communication up to date.
All in all, not glamorous, not flashy. Just mundane with a hefty dose frustration (I'll let you guess which activities). Still, I got the jobs done.
09 February 2011
Blurry week
This past week I've been ill with a a bad cold. Thankfully, I didn't have many appointments and no classes. So, I slept through the Chicago Blizzard of 2011 and was too ill to shovel the 2 feet of snow. But, I live in a great neighborhood, and my neighbors were out shoveling for each other. What a blessing! So, public health as a lived experience.
30 December 2010
Holiday Break, Not
The week before Christmas has a reputation as being a low productivity week. The week between Christmas and New Year's has an even stronger reputation as a vacation week. So much so that the University shuts down non-essential services, including closing buildings and turning down heat in faculty offices and classroom spaces.
For me, December is always busy, with a long list of work that has January and February deadlines. Even more so this year. Early in January, Academy of Management has a deadline for manuscripts to be considered for presentation at the annual meeting. This year I am first author on a manuscript focused on organizational processes of implementing a new service line, and am co-sponsoring a symposium on health care reform. Right after the Academy of Management deadline is the deadline for AcademyHealth. I am undecided whether I have anything this year for AcademyHealth. Then, in mid-February is the abstract submission deadline for American Public Health Association. I foresee being first author and second on a couple abstracts. All of this takes focus, apply seat to seat, and type away into the night.
That's not all. The KRISP project is heating up with alots of trainings happening in January. Collaboratively planning those with the directors of the health departments and getting the schedules worked out takes time. And, then there is the KRISP budget. Problems uncovered and to be corrected. There's a reason why I am a control freak with regard to budgets. Maybe I just haven't had good luck or maybe it's the very weird and shoddy university system. Whatever the root cause, problems arise often and go unnoticed until an auditing approach is taken to account for the pennies. Moments like that require the "Breath!" mantra.
Meanwhile, other manuscripts in process ebb and flow between me and the co-authors. My editorship work rolls on and on, with more manuscripts submitted this year and ever. A good sign with accompanying more work. And, students who don't like their grades are now contacting me (on Christmas day, of all things!). Gotta laugh and love it!
.
For me, December is always busy, with a long list of work that has January and February deadlines. Even more so this year. Early in January, Academy of Management has a deadline for manuscripts to be considered for presentation at the annual meeting. This year I am first author on a manuscript focused on organizational processes of implementing a new service line, and am co-sponsoring a symposium on health care reform. Right after the Academy of Management deadline is the deadline for AcademyHealth. I am undecided whether I have anything this year for AcademyHealth. Then, in mid-February is the abstract submission deadline for American Public Health Association. I foresee being first author and second on a couple abstracts. All of this takes focus, apply seat to seat, and type away into the night.
That's not all. The KRISP project is heating up with alots of trainings happening in January. Collaboratively planning those with the directors of the health departments and getting the schedules worked out takes time. And, then there is the KRISP budget. Problems uncovered and to be corrected. There's a reason why I am a control freak with regard to budgets. Maybe I just haven't had good luck or maybe it's the very weird and shoddy university system. Whatever the root cause, problems arise often and go unnoticed until an auditing approach is taken to account for the pennies. Moments like that require the "Breath!" mantra.
Meanwhile, other manuscripts in process ebb and flow between me and the co-authors. My editorship work rolls on and on, with more manuscripts submitted this year and ever. A good sign with accompanying more work. And, students who don't like their grades are now contacting me (on Christmas day, of all things!). Gotta laugh and love it!
.
17 December 2010
Roller Skate Week
Looking forward to a week is always different than looking back on it. Nonetheless, the week from December 9 through December 17 was what I call a "roller skates" week. Skating, which is slightly faster than running and takes less effort, from task to task, from location to location, from meeting to meeting.
The highlight of December 10 was the little holiday party we had for the KRISP project. We managed to have about an hour of sweets, small present exchange, and photo ops. (see the KRISP blog for the group photo) It was also a day of problem solving with a couple of my MPH advisees. A mix of paperwork, encouragement and a little hand holding. All in all, a busy, productive, fun, smiling day.
Monday and Tuesday (December 13 and 14) were more unique. For the past month, I served as chair for a search committee to hire a new faculty into our department. After vetting a few applications, we invited the two best candidates to visit with us. The daylong process involves interviews, a presentation, and informal lunch in the commons area. Making the process public and inclusive made the faculty feel as though this was a real opportunity to hire a junior faculty. This may seem obvious, but in these economically bad times in Illinois, hiring a faculty feels like an sweet treat. The foresight and planning of our department chairperson made this hire possible. Each day with the candidate went smoothly. My own preference for one of the candidates was aligned with the consensus of the search committee and faculty who met the candidates.
Right after the last of the meetings with the candidate, I hopped in the car and drove 3 hours to Peoria. I needed to do this because on Wednesday morning Kathy and I were doing a training session with the public health nurses at Tazewell County. I arrived at Kathy's house as she was finishing baking the goodies for the morning meeting. The feds prohibit any purchase of food, so the treats of baked good and fresh fruit will come out of our personal pockets. (I understand the the restriction, but really...) The public health nurses seemed engaged and ready to have us come back next month. As soon as that meeting was finished, I had to drive back to Chicago and attend to the candidate selection.
I spent Thursday and Friday in the office working on KRISP budget, trainings and meetings. Whew....
The highlight of December 10 was the little holiday party we had for the KRISP project. We managed to have about an hour of sweets, small present exchange, and photo ops. (see the KRISP blog for the group photo) It was also a day of problem solving with a couple of my MPH advisees. A mix of paperwork, encouragement and a little hand holding. All in all, a busy, productive, fun, smiling day.
Monday and Tuesday (December 13 and 14) were more unique. For the past month, I served as chair for a search committee to hire a new faculty into our department. After vetting a few applications, we invited the two best candidates to visit with us. The daylong process involves interviews, a presentation, and informal lunch in the commons area. Making the process public and inclusive made the faculty feel as though this was a real opportunity to hire a junior faculty. This may seem obvious, but in these economically bad times in Illinois, hiring a faculty feels like an sweet treat. The foresight and planning of our department chairperson made this hire possible. Each day with the candidate went smoothly. My own preference for one of the candidates was aligned with the consensus of the search committee and faculty who met the candidates.
Right after the last of the meetings with the candidate, I hopped in the car and drove 3 hours to Peoria. I needed to do this because on Wednesday morning Kathy and I were doing a training session with the public health nurses at Tazewell County. I arrived at Kathy's house as she was finishing baking the goodies for the morning meeting. The feds prohibit any purchase of food, so the treats of baked good and fresh fruit will come out of our personal pockets. (I understand the the restriction, but really...) The public health nurses seemed engaged and ready to have us come back next month. As soon as that meeting was finished, I had to drive back to Chicago and attend to the candidate selection.
I spent Thursday and Friday in the office working on KRISP budget, trainings and meetings. Whew....
30 October 2010
What routine looks like
This week has been more cruise control, with a steady and easy flow of routine activities resulting in a few "products" ~
So, overall, it it felt like a groove, uncomplicated, focused, doable with no threats or looming deadlines. A groove with results as well as opportunities to have intellectual stimulation.
- Editorship work resulted in getting manuscripts processed (accept/reject/revise) in a timely manner so that my stats look good on the amount of time for turning around manuscripts.
- Presentation preparations resulted in having the powerpoint presentations for the two presentations at APHA ready to be unloaded to its website by the deadline.
- Committee membership attendance resulted in furthering discussions but no decisions with immediate results-some activities fall into the category of fermentation, an important process to arrive at a smooth final product....
- Teacher work included reading the assigned articles to be prepared for class discussion and grading their second assignment papers. Hopefully, the teaching work results in students with enhanced skills and a feeling of being mentored. Some results are more like secondary consequences which are not results for the primary party.
- As an author I worked on one of the many manuscripts in the queue (front and back burners) with the result of inching toward a manuscript for submission - note that I say submission because that is the really the only aspect of authorship that I have direct and sole responsibility for.
So, overall, it it felt like a groove, uncomplicated, focused, doable with no threats or looming deadlines. A groove with results as well as opportunities to have intellectual stimulation.
22 October 2010
Productivity comes to Academe
I don't normally think about my work in terms of productivity. I don't make widgets, gadgets or anything else. Productivity of faculty has historically been counted in the form of number of publications, number of grants submissions, and number of advisees. But, a recent Wall Street Journal article has pulled back the lid on Pandora's box.
As the operating budgets of universities have grown much tighter and tuition has risen, a focus on productivity of faculty (as well as of their colleges and universities) is a natural consequence. Natural, but not. Productivity is implicitly, as well as explicitly, linked to profit margins, organizational viability, and supply/demand curves. None of these concepts applies naturally, organically, or ideologically to the provision of higher education. The capitalist mind-set now exists globally (with the exception of a few notable hold-outs). That mindset has seeped into the corridors and mortar of our universities. What was once viewed a a public good, namely college education, has been turned into a commonplace, sometimes stock traded commodity.
I don't know if this change will turn out be good or not for society as a whole. I only know that it is the current reality to which faculty are having a challenging time adjusting. If we accept this change as de facto, then we would be wise to proactively say "here's the productivity metrics which we know to distinguish the good from the bad..." For my part, the metrics mentioned in the WSJ article are the predictable metrics, some of which reflect a naive grasp of the realities of our work. (Hence this blog.)
One stand I would take, as I feel are worth some advocacy effort, is to have metrics that take into account all or a combination of the following: (a) not all students will succeed, so allow at least a x% product failure rate; (b) the production of grants, manuscripts and graduating students does not occur on a regularly scheduled basis, so allow for smoothing over time of the rates (at least a 2 year rolling average); and (c) monetize the passion and enthusiasm for knowledge creation generated among peers and students, as a minor adjustment for the less than glamorous monetary rewards, as well as a necessary prerequisite to innovation.
To this last point, I refer the readers to the new report from the National Academy of Sciences,
.
As the operating budgets of universities have grown much tighter and tuition has risen, a focus on productivity of faculty (as well as of their colleges and universities) is a natural consequence. Natural, but not. Productivity is implicitly, as well as explicitly, linked to profit margins, organizational viability, and supply/demand curves. None of these concepts applies naturally, organically, or ideologically to the provision of higher education. The capitalist mind-set now exists globally (with the exception of a few notable hold-outs). That mindset has seeped into the corridors and mortar of our universities. What was once viewed a a public good, namely college education, has been turned into a commonplace, sometimes stock traded commodity.
I don't know if this change will turn out be good or not for society as a whole. I only know that it is the current reality to which faculty are having a challenging time adjusting. If we accept this change as de facto, then we would be wise to proactively say "here's the productivity metrics which we know to distinguish the good from the bad..." For my part, the metrics mentioned in the WSJ article are the predictable metrics, some of which reflect a naive grasp of the realities of our work. (Hence this blog.)
One stand I would take, as I feel are worth some advocacy effort, is to have metrics that take into account all or a combination of the following: (a) not all students will succeed, so allow at least a x% product failure rate; (b) the production of grants, manuscripts and graduating students does not occur on a regularly scheduled basis, so allow for smoothing over time of the rates (at least a 2 year rolling average); and (c) monetize the passion and enthusiasm for knowledge creation generated among peers and students, as a minor adjustment for the less than glamorous monetary rewards, as well as a necessary prerequisite to innovation.
To this last point, I refer the readers to the new report from the National Academy of Sciences,
"Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5." I doubt, but could be wrong, that a focus on productivity will not get this country out of the Category 5 storm they describe.
.
14 September 2010
TGIF
Normally TGIF means Thank God It's Friday because people are looking forward to a weekend of no work and slack off a bit at the office. Ha! Not me. TGIF has other meanings, innuendos and connotations.
Fridays are busy days for me, usually a full 8 hours at task in the office problem solving and making incremental progress toward some elusive goal. I am one of the very few faculty who teach on Fridays, which is to say that the building has far fewer students and a tiny portion of faculty. After class, I hold office hours and have meetings. Last week I was zooming ~ going from my project office for a teleconference meeting with my co-investigators to a student office for a consult on preparing a presentation then back to my office for a quick scan of email, returning down the 1/2 block hallway (literally) to reassure a student about an assignment. Just another normal Friday. By the time I left shortly after 6pm, TGIF meant Thank God It's Finished.
Fridays are busy days for me, usually a full 8 hours at task in the office problem solving and making incremental progress toward some elusive goal. I am one of the very few faculty who teach on Fridays, which is to say that the building has far fewer students and a tiny portion of faculty. After class, I hold office hours and have meetings. Last week I was zooming ~ going from my project office for a teleconference meeting with my co-investigators to a student office for a consult on preparing a presentation then back to my office for a quick scan of email, returning down the 1/2 block hallway (literally) to reassure a student about an assignment. Just another normal Friday. By the time I left shortly after 6pm, TGIF meant Thank God It's Finished.
18 May 2010
Monday Morning
As I was walking toward the elevators to get the week started, a colleauge was coming in to work. I started the ususal chit chat for such circumstances; "So, how was your weekend?" "I'm glad it's over." Huh? She was not forthcoming with an explanation, but we chuckled nonetheless on the irony of her response. That pretty much set the tone for the day, a bit whacky but good.
The day consisted of faculty meeting, a teleconfernece for the AHRQ grant, meeting with project staff, meeting with student to map out a publication, responding to emails (including another Doodle), and working on the promotion papers. Here's the grumble ~ data are collected by the Office of Reseach but not in a format nor with the same information required for the promotion forms. Looks to me like a pretty big communication gap at the university level which results in at least 6 hours of silly work for me. I don't mind working, but this copy and pasting and retyping and having to track down information is such a waste. And, inefficiencies really push my buttons.
I had a breif, pleasant conversation with one of the directors of nursing at a local health department. She had received an email from NACCHO regarding their recommendations for allocation of health reform funds. Fine. Except that public health nurses were not included in a brief list of needed health professionals. YIKES! What were they thinking? At a point in time when health deparrtments are really strapped for funding and looking to cut expenses, nurses are easy targets because they cost so much. Never mind the high rate of return for thier work. I immediately though how can I mobilize the public health nursing associations to take some action? I sent out a email to a listserve and will keep the pressure up. This could get interesting....
The day consisted of faculty meeting, a teleconfernece for the AHRQ grant, meeting with project staff, meeting with student to map out a publication, responding to emails (including another Doodle), and working on the promotion papers. Here's the grumble ~ data are collected by the Office of Reseach but not in a format nor with the same information required for the promotion forms. Looks to me like a pretty big communication gap at the university level which results in at least 6 hours of silly work for me. I don't mind working, but this copy and pasting and retyping and having to track down information is such a waste. And, inefficiencies really push my buttons.
I had a breif, pleasant conversation with one of the directors of nursing at a local health department. She had received an email from NACCHO regarding their recommendations for allocation of health reform funds. Fine. Except that public health nurses were not included in a brief list of needed health professionals. YIKES! What were they thinking? At a point in time when health deparrtments are really strapped for funding and looking to cut expenses, nurses are easy targets because they cost so much. Never mind the high rate of return for thier work. I immediately though how can I mobilize the public health nursing associations to take some action? I sent out a email to a listserve and will keep the pressure up. This could get interesting....
05 May 2010
The universe answered my plea for help with Spring Fever. The answer was meetings. The first meeting was with a graduating doctoral student who now faces career choices and corresponding angst about which choice to make. The best I could do was listen and confirm that all points had been considered. There really isn't much in life that prepares us for making such life course altering decisions. Another student needed guidance on the structure of the MPH essay and support in standing ground so as to not be abused by other faculty. (Sometimes I can't believe my colleagues, nor non-colleagues.) Then I met with and hired a doctoral student to be my new RA for the AHRQ grant. In mix was also meetings being canceled and rescheduled, and meetings in the process of being scheduled. The last meeting was the most interesting. And, in between I did a little of this and that. The hallways were very quiet now that classes are over.
The last telephone meeting was with one of the local health departments. We talked about public health nursing and the very real and very big changes that are facing public health nursing. The shift from an individual and family focused public health care delivery system to a population focused mindset requires new skills of everyone. This shift is a welcomed change on one hand, but dreaded on the other. It's dreaded by the managers because their funding is still program specific and the programs are individual level care programs. This creates a fiscal bind for the health departments; neither the states nor the feds seem to shifting their requirements for funding or reimbursing health promotion or protection programs. While the conversation was good, it left me feeling a bit like Atlas ~ carrying the weight of how to make all this happen on behalf of public health nurses.
The last telephone meeting was with one of the local health departments. We talked about public health nursing and the very real and very big changes that are facing public health nursing. The shift from an individual and family focused public health care delivery system to a population focused mindset requires new skills of everyone. This shift is a welcomed change on one hand, but dreaded on the other. It's dreaded by the managers because their funding is still program specific and the programs are individual level care programs. This creates a fiscal bind for the health departments; neither the states nor the feds seem to shifting their requirements for funding or reimbursing health promotion or protection programs. While the conversation was good, it left me feeling a bit like Atlas ~ carrying the weight of how to make all this happen on behalf of public health nurses.
01 May 2010
Last Class
Every semester ends. Some have easier, simpler, more gratifying ends than others. This semester ends on a high note: one doctoral student finished and who will be hooded next week, one master's student overcame a huge hump toward completion of her essay, and a class with students who praised the course as meeting their needs. A faculty member can't ask for much more.
The final assignment of the course was for the student to give a brief book report on the biography or autobiography of a scientist . I saw two themes across the lives: following passion and intuition is linked to success, and personalities can affect the level of recognition received. Both lessons relevant to yesterday...
The rest of the day was taken up with telephone meetings, in-person planning, and email. As I was packing up my briefcase with work for the weekend, I looked over the to-do list. And, felt disappointed in myself. I could not cross one item. Yet, I has spent the full 8 hours at task. Things come up. I've learned that it's easier to get it done just then. Once it's on the to-do list, it could be weeks.
And were was the public health part today? One of the calls was with one of the local health departments participating in my intervention project. We talked about the workforce needs and how we might best address them. Quality improvement is the new focus and requires that everyone in the health departments learn new skills and change attitudes about change. It was the type of conversation that helps me stay connected to the real, the daily, the practice. And, challenges me to find ways to make useful, little-by-little changes.
The final assignment of the course was for the student to give a brief book report on the biography or autobiography of a scientist . I saw two themes across the lives: following passion and intuition is linked to success, and personalities can affect the level of recognition received. Both lessons relevant to yesterday...
The rest of the day was taken up with telephone meetings, in-person planning, and email. As I was packing up my briefcase with work for the weekend, I looked over the to-do list. And, felt disappointed in myself. I could not cross one item. Yet, I has spent the full 8 hours at task. Things come up. I've learned that it's easier to get it done just then. Once it's on the to-do list, it could be weeks.
And were was the public health part today? One of the calls was with one of the local health departments participating in my intervention project. We talked about the workforce needs and how we might best address them. Quality improvement is the new focus and requires that everyone in the health departments learn new skills and change attitudes about change. It was the type of conversation that helps me stay connected to the real, the daily, the practice. And, challenges me to find ways to make useful, little-by-little changes.
29 April 2010
Working from home: Luxury or not
Today I worked from home, spending time on email, revising a manuscript, working on reports, and reading student papers. It felt like a luxury to not be in office clothes (aka in a bathrobe) and staring out the window at my backyard. For the past 6 months I needed to be in the office every day for grant related activities, school meetings, or student advising. Most of my fellow faculty have regularly scheduled days for working at home. So, if I gleefully said to them I got to work at home, they'd have a puzzled look.
It ought to be a win-win; the university saves on office lights and computer electricity, and I save on commuting to the office. But, it's more complicated than that. I lose on my electricity bill and the lack of comradary. There are other losses for the university, and the need to have polices for working from home. Nonetheless, I feel fortunate to have a job that makes it possible to work from home. Flexibility is a good thing.
On a more intellectual note ~ the theme for the day was publishing, peer reviews, and editing. The debate on the value of peer reviewing is alive and well, with science being generated on the topic. Seems tautological, but then...
It ought to be a win-win; the university saves on office lights and computer electricity, and I save on commuting to the office. But, it's more complicated than that. I lose on my electricity bill and the lack of comradary. There are other losses for the university, and the need to have polices for working from home. Nonetheless, I feel fortunate to have a job that makes it possible to work from home. Flexibility is a good thing.
On a more intellectual note ~ the theme for the day was publishing, peer reviews, and editing. The debate on the value of peer reviewing is alive and well, with science being generated on the topic. Seems tautological, but then...
26 April 2010
Meandering Monday
This is one of those with low anxiety, low pressure, and without a clear theme, which makes it a day requiring self-discipline and self-direction. I worked at home for a bit before heading into the office. Specifically, working to identify one last speaker for the AHRQ conference. Once at the office, the morning meetings were short, efficient and laced with easy conversation. This afternoon will have more intensity, based on personalities. I MUST work on my editorship; I'm woefully behind on processing manuscripts. And, I need to be sure all is in order for the meetings tomorrow.
Late in the afternoon, I have a skype conversation about my trip to Chile. More on that after the call.
Now, back to task.
Late in the afternoon, I have a skype conversation about my trip to Chile. More on that after the call.
Now, back to task.
23 April 2010
TGIF
Grey skies, cool temperatures, and empty halls. Friday. No classes, no faculty, no students. Just me and my computer. Well, and a few staff members and the Divison Chair. Time focused on grant work ~ planning next steps, editing documents, dealing with IRB and HR issues, making Editor decisions, surfing for ideal speakers, having too many documents open at once, and finally reaching "time to go."' All the while streaming baroque.
20 April 2010
4 hours and counting
This morning I set out to work 4 hours from 7am to 11, but it end up being closer to noon. I stream radio when I start work, pause when I get up (bathroom, tea, stretch, check Blog or Facebook), and resume the clock and stream when I resume work. All those little "breaks" take a huge chuck out of a work day. Still, the 4 hours were productive, resulting in small progress on the AHRQ conference grant.
Now, I need to shower, pack and hit the road barely ahead of rush hour traffic headed out of Chicago. I'm off to see, not the Wizard, but two of the local health departments that participating in my KRISP grant. Tomorrow will be heavy "This is public health." I still need to work on the ppt presentation for the 8:30am meeting. I also need to choose a few handouts for the meetings. I'll do that in the shower.
It's a long drive for two short meetings, which are a 30 minute drive from each other. Sometimes, physical presence is required to nudge things along and lend credibility to the project. I'm not complaining. On the drive down to Peoria, I'll be rehearing what I'll say, strategizing how best to get buy-in from all the nursing staff, and thinking about manuscripts that can come from this. Car time is not for books-on-tape, not when it's work travel. The clock will be ticking; thinking and driving does count as multitasking.
Now, I need to shower, pack and hit the road barely ahead of rush hour traffic headed out of Chicago. I'm off to see, not the Wizard, but two of the local health departments that participating in my KRISP grant. Tomorrow will be heavy "This is public health." I still need to work on the ppt presentation for the 8:30am meeting. I also need to choose a few handouts for the meetings. I'll do that in the shower.
It's a long drive for two short meetings, which are a 30 minute drive from each other. Sometimes, physical presence is required to nudge things along and lend credibility to the project. I'm not complaining. On the drive down to Peoria, I'll be rehearing what I'll say, strategizing how best to get buy-in from all the nursing staff, and thinking about manuscripts that can come from this. Car time is not for books-on-tape, not when it's work travel. The clock will be ticking; thinking and driving does count as multitasking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)