Image courtesy of Bearseye on Flickr.com
I was speaking to a faculty member the other day who commented that the two weeks between the Thanksgiving break and finals often feels like a lame duck session. Everyone sees the end in sight and she has just as much trouble as her students staying focused (especially when the holiday festivities begin). What’s a well-intentioned professor to do?
- Be sure you are getting enough rest
- Prioritize your time and activities. You may need to respond to invitation/requests/suggestions with “That sounds great and I’d love to do that. I can’t right now but can I do it _____?”
- Try the Pramack Principle: Tell yourself you can engage in the fun activities once you’ve completed your grading or finished your proposal, for example.
- Don’t forget to eat real food from time to time instead of subsisting on holiday cookies, candy, and fruitcake
- Meditate
- Ask for help if you need it
By staying focused, we can turn a lame duck period into a time of great productivity so that we can enjoy the end of the semester celebrations guilt-free.
