Tips, tutorials, and commentary on pedagogy, productivity, and technology in higher education.

Tag Archives: work/life

The Salt Mines. Really??

January 25, 2010 in Life by Natalie Houston

Over the past couple of weeks, I heard at least six people (some at my university, and some who work elsewhere) say the phrase "back to the salt mines" in relation to the start of the new semester. Which led me to wonder two things:

  • Where does this phrase come from?
  • What impact do our metaphors have upon our attitudes about work?

Where’s the fun in funambulism?

November 12, 2009 in Life by Natalie Houston

Despite all the motivational posters you may have seen, balance isn't a state you can achieve. Balance isn't a thing you can grasp or a noun of any sort to be attained. Instead, balance is a continuously changing process.

What’s Working?

October 1, 2009 in Life, Productivity by Natalie Houston

Today marks the beginning of a new month -- a good time for taking a few minutes to assess how things are going. It's easy at this point in the semester (whether you're 4 or 7 weeks in) to feel caught up in just doing stuff: teaching, meetings, grant proposals, recommendation writing, and oh yeah, your own writing and research. So, a simple question. What's working?

Are You Spending Time on What Matters to You?

September 21, 2009 in Life, Productivity by Natalie Houston

Last week, I recommended tracking how you spent your time for a few days (or ideally for the whole week) as a first step in evaluating and possibly refocusing your decisions about what you do and when. In today's post, I explain how to think a bit about what your current goals and priorities are, not just in your work, but more holistically.

Where Does Your Time Go?

September 14, 2009 in Life, Productivity by Natalie Houston

If, like me, you look around after the dust settles at the beginning of a new semester, and wonder now how am I going to find time for X? this tip is for you. It's an exercise I repeat at least once a year, sometimes more frequently depending on what changes have been taking place in my work, in my life, or in my goals. It's an exercise that involves time tracking and creating categories of life goals.