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October 26, 2020
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Many of us may be new to working from home on a regular basis, and on top of that, we may have our children at home with us. We might feel like we are in a three-ring circus and this can be challenging for everyone involved! This session will provide useful tools and tips to create an effective workspace and balance the many dynamics of working from home. Join in the discussions as Dr. Rebekah Dyer, Professor for the College of Education, facilitates and shares ideas and strategies.
I find great value in family time around the dinner table. Our family has great conversations during this time, and with two teenage boys it can be difficult to catch them sitting still!
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How many of you LOVE your "To Do" list?!?! This is something that I have always relied on to keep myself organized, but I have noticed that many people who do not typically use lists have found the need for them when working from home.
Our schedules are a bit different if we are working from home, especially if our kiddos are home with us as well. Creating a schedule allows us to be prioritize our "To Do" list while staying organized and keeping a balance between work and home life.
One of the first things you need to do is choose a tool for your schedule. You can use a variety of things including:
1. A traditional paper planner. This is my fave!
2. Your Outlook calendar.
3. An online planner. https://timetablemaker.com/about
Once you have a tool that works for you, you will need to schedule EVERYTHING for each day, even the weekends. You will need to plan your meetings, work time, time for self-care, time with your family, pick up and drop off times if you are taking your kids to school.....ALL of it!
I take a little time every Sunday afternoon to write everything that I need to schedule in my paper planner....with different color pens of course! :) I also use this time to reflect on the previous week to see what things I did not complete as scheduled and why that happened. That way I can try to plan better for the upcoming week.
What do you use to organize your schedule?
What obstacles get in the way of you keeping that schedule?
What tips do you have for others in managing a schedule?
Rebekah Dyer I love these ideas! One thing I found really helps me is to do an electronic/paper hybrid. I like to keep an electronic calendar, as I often scheduling things out and about or I'm scheduling things way ahead of time and I'm not ready to think about them yet - helps me harness the power of my phone. However, I work off a paper planner because my brain organizes better that way. So, I keep everything on my digital calendar initially because that is always accessible, easy to enter, and a nice at-a-glance sort of organization for when those "let's schedule lunch!" conversations come up. But at the beginning of the week, I transfer just the coming week to a paper calendar/to do list (with colorful pens, too!) which allows me to see a week a time and prepare for immediate upcoming activities. This helps me keep the overwhelm down and gives me a chance to cognitively process what's coming at me for the week. I usually do this Monday mornings and then review it day by day to make sure I'm on task. Not everyone runs this way, but the hybrid has been a nice functional way for me to go from sort of abstract calendar entries to formal to-do's type of checklist each week. :)
Rebekah Dyer,
I love the online calendar. I can organize my personal schedule, PD, and my work. I set alerts as well. For my son, I have an anchor chart schedule, but he also sets up an alert for these synchronous times and 5 minutes before check-in and 5 minutes before lunch is over.
Stephanie Nilsen
I think this is a great way to stay organized, especially with larger tasks or things that need to be planned for future dates! I really like that you mentioned "the overwhelm"! That is something I struggle with if I don't take the time to schedule and plan, even more so with how much things have changed in my schedule. Thank you so much for sharing!
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
I think I am going to try adding the alerts to my process for staying organized. I love it!
Thank you for the tips. I am a huge list maker for daily tasks and I use a paper planner for all tasks. We also have a white board calendar on the fridge to keep family plans and events so we can all see it.
Rebekah Dyer
Joanie Colson
We also are huge listmakers. Our honeydew (husband) list is constant. I make a list for HEB for "To Do's." I make them virtually now, but still, we live by lists.
M
Rebekah Dyer I am beginning to use outlook more. I am color coding appt, but last week I missed an teams meeting. I opened the meeting and just walked away, never came back to my computer. Quite possibly I may be over scheduling trying to meet my demands and my son's last year of high school demands
Angela Parker
Hi there Angela ~
Oh man, I can totally understand that! I struggle with my schedule being too full quite often. I used to be really bad about being okay with saying no to things, but I have gotten a lot better with it. I try to take the time to think about if I have the time to truly commit to something before I respond to a request. It's always a work in progress for me though. I have a son who is a senior as well, and it seems that it is a lot for the parents to manage. Do you include things that you need to do for your son on your schedule? I put them on my to do list, but not necessarily on my calendar.
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola I use TickTick and the night before I prioritize my big three - which has become the big four at this point!
Rebekah Dyer
I love this idea and will implement it right away thank you for great ideas Paulla
What types of things do you include in your schedule?
As I mentioned, I use a paper planner and I organize each week into different sections including:
1. Schedule - This is where I write down any appointments or meetings that are scheduled for each day.
2. To Do's - These are things that I need to complete during the week.
3. Health - In this section I write down what I will do for exercise each day and what I have planned to make for dinner.
4. Family - I include specific to do items that relate to things I need to do for the family (ex: appt for the dog groomer) or my boys (ex: order school pictures).
5. GCU - I include things that I need to do for work in this section, both things that I do every week and specific things that are needed for that week only.
6. Other Projects - Anything else I feel that I need to write down is included in this section.
Phew! That is a lot! You would think with all of this planning and organization that I consistently follow my schedule, but that is not always the case. Sometimes things come up that change my plans and/or I change my mind about some of my plans. I do feel that when I follow everything on my schedule my weeks is much smoother.
I mainly include appointments in my planner but I do add my families, GCU, and To Do's.
I am going to start adding gym time and menu. I keep our menu on a chalkboard in the kitchen but having it in my planner will help keep on schedule when I am not home. I can see it helping to make any grocery store stops on the way home instead of needing to run back out.
Joanie Colson
I like the idea of keeping the dinner plans in the kitchen as well. This would avoid the daily question, "What's for dinner?". At my house, that is usually followed by, "Why? I don't want that".
Rebekah Dyer
I use one online calendar for everything, so my personal and work schedules do not clash. This includes doctor appointments and other meetings.
-Mirta
Rebekah Dyer
That is a good idea. Things have changed. When I was a child, we sat down and ate whatever was in front of us. We had no choices. :0)
M
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
Yes! Me too. My husband and I were actually talking about that yesterday. We need to stick to what we have planned for dinners and our boys do not need a choice for something different.
When did we start doing that? I never had a choice. Ever!
Angela Parker
So true! I make dinner, and if my son doesn't eat it, he can make a sandwich or not eat. Period. It sounds stern, but he needs to eat what I cook. I am not a restaurant. Currently, I am teaching him how to bake and cook on the weekends. So, when he is a little older and wiser, he can get into the rotation.
-Mirta
Angela Parker
We actually sat down as a family last night and planned next week's dinner together. I really liked it! I hope that we can stick to our plan next week.
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
I am all about teaching my boys to do their things on their own so that they can be independent when they are older! And maybe cook dinner for their parents?!?! :)
The Balancing Act
Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
How many things do you have that need your attention?!?! When we have too many things on our plate we can see an increase in anxiety.
How do we create a balance among all of the needs we are required to meet?
1. Prioritize Each Day
2. Be okay with not being everything to everyone
3. Be okay with not having everything check of your to do list
4. Delegate
5. Support your children in being independent
5. Motivation
6. Rewards/Incentives
7. Reflect regularly - are you feeling overwhelmed?
Which of these things to you already do? What of these things do you want to implement in your life?
Rebekah Dyer I prioritize each day. By that I mean I have my list and what needs to get done today but that doesn't always happen. When I can't get a task done I put it at the top of tomorrow's list.
Motivation has been difficult these past few months. Not sure if it is getting used to retirement from my high school teaching job or the fallout from COVID. Usually the fall is a time to really gear up and get tasks done.
I usually have a reward/incentive in mind but more times than not I don't allow myself to get it. Sometimes I feel guilty taking the time or spending the money on myself because I did what needed to be done. But I am getting better about it.
Joanie Colson
Hi there Joanie ~
Thank you so much for sharing! I can relate!
Even with all of the effort I put into my planner, I like to have a daily to do list that usually gets things added to it. I love checking things off a list!
I had difficulty with motivation at the beginning of the semester as well. I think it was because of all the changes and I wasn't sure how to get into my normal routine, as my routine was no longer normal. I have come a long way with this and I feel that I am in my groove now.
I like the idea of a reward or incentive. What do you usually use as an incentive? I like to grab a refill on my coffee, step outside for a bit, or go chat with my husband (who is working from home in the other room).
So many changes and not getting into a routine has been hard. Especially being a teacher and used to being on a set schedule all the time! I think that has contributed to motivation. I am finally getting into some kind of routine as far as classes, grading, chores, and grocery shopping.
I usually do rewards as extra time on my games (I play a few video games), window shopping, pedicures. I also like to get everything done Monday through Friday so I have my weekends free to spend time with my son.
I love all your ideas for rewards and will find things that are more feasible instead of not doing any at all.
Joanie Colson
Most teachers are pretty Type A. I know I am! The lack of structure has been very difficult for me. I often feel pretty lost without the routine.
I know we have to give ourselves grace, while making steps towards creating balance and routine in this new norm. I am so happy to hear you have been making positive steps towards this as well. I am all about the baby steps!
I really like that you focus on keeping your weekends free. My husband and I try to do this as well. Sometimes it doesn't happen, but I think we do a pretty good job for the most part.
I hope you enjoy a great weekend with your son!
Good Morning! ~
Today I would like to share Bible verses that I like to reflect on when I am feeling unbalanced.
Isaiah 41:13
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Rebekah Dyer I loved these scriptures. What a wonderful way to bring a little breath of peace and a reminder of the important things. Thank you for sharing :)
Stephanie Nilsen These are great scriptures. I heard Mercy Me's song Even If this morning and it really helped bring some peace to this long crazy week of uncertainty.
Joanie Colson
Yes! I love that song! I get a lot of peace out of listening to worship music. My favorite song right now is The Blessing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4
Joanie Colson I just listened to this song and I love it! Thank you for sharing. One of my favorites is "Come to the Table" by Sidewalk Prophets. It reminds me that all I need is my Savior and I can make it through anything :)
Part of the balancing act is managing projects. Most of the time projects have multiple parts, sometimes multiple people involved and an extended deadline. How do you take that project and break it down into smaller, manageable parts?
Here are a few ways you can manage a project...
1. Breaking it down into phases...
2. Breaking it down into categories...
3. Breaking it down into parts...
An example that I have done this with is when I have worked with the curriculum development department to review a program in my college. I set reminders for myself in Outlook throughout the month I had to complete my tasks. I also divided the work into parts and wrote those parts in my planner so that I could check them off upon completion.
What is your process for breaking projects down into manageable parts? What examples do you have?
Rebekah Dyer Breaking down projects into manageable parts has always been my focus and is easy to maintain for me. I was a high school theatre director for 30 years and manageable parts is vital!
What I am having to focus on right now is committing to starting projects. I am easily side tracked by other matters I feel are pressing and all of a sudden it is the end of the week and I didn't start what I thought were my goals.
I have been writing everything down in my calendar now. Before it was only appointments but not daily tasks. This seems to help get me back on a schedule.
My goal for this week is to tackle some of the projects I have been putting off.
Joanie Colson
This is a great thing to consider....how to get started on those big projects!
I have a separate list of those projects that I tend to keep pushing off as well. I think I want to set dates for when I want to start the projects.
What projects are you working on this week? Were you able to break it down into manageable parts?
I have found, for me, that breaking projects down into smaller parts helps me with time management, and I feel my overall productivity. If I work on something for too long, in one period, I often become unproductive and start "spinning my wheels"!
This week I have been working on preparing for a journal article publication. First, I created an outline, to organize the overall project. Now, I am working on one section of that outline per week, so that I can meet my deadline.
I hope you are having a productive week!
My projects for this week is to create a better home office. My husband runs his business from home and I am starting a consulting business next month.
So far I have a good start but it is a system that works for me. Not so much for my husband. We don't have a room in our house we can dedicate to be an office so our dining room is doing double duty. The thing to work out is he has more stuff he has to keep out (like guitars, file folders, kit bags) where as I only need files and books.
I would love to have a system in place that works for both of us by the 13th (which is when I end m training) but it may be smarter to wait until after the holidays.
As you work hard to complete your to-do list and wrap up projects today, I encourage you all to practice self-care this weekend!
Take Care
This is something that I found to be VERY important as I have gotten older and busier!
If I don't take the time to take care of myself and "fill my tank", I am not able to be the best wife, mom, professor, etc. that I can be.
The things I do for self-care include:
1. Go for a walk/excercise
2. Read a book
3. Do something outdoors
4. Take a bath
5. Shopping
I try to be reflective on a regular basis to see how I am feeling and monitor my self-care. If I start to feel overwhelmed and/or anxious, I make sure to plan for self-care. I also communicate with those around me as part of my reflection.
What do you do to practice self-care?
Rebekah Dyer Thanks for the great ideas. A few things I do are take a long shower and just feel the water wash away stress. I also enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea in my backyard with my chickens. They are so funny to watch and how they interact. We do this just before sunset so the girls put themselves to bed at dark. Very relaxing.
Of course a walk, bike ride or elliptical at the gym always makes me feel better.
Joanie Colson
Hi there Joanie,
Happy Friday!
I love that you have chickens. I think time with pets and animals reduces stress as well. I feel like my dog knows when I am stressed or feeling anxious, because he gets extra cuddly. :)
I hope that you have a relaxing weekend and blessed Thanksgiving!
Thank you for sharing. I would love it if GCU could create a video or a voice to text on the dashboard for feedback and announcements. It is easier than making a video on my phone and having to download it or email it to myself, then open it up in email, save it and upload it to the LMS. For the voice to text, that would be a great asset as we could leave feedback much more quickly. (voice to text).
Efficiency is key when you are teaching online and you have an 8-year old that is learning online and you also have to be a facilitator for him as well.
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
That would be really nice! Have you tried making videos through Loom on your laptop? That might be easier than using your phone?
How are things going with working, while supporting your son with online learning?
Rebekah Dyer,
I will try loom. Our LMS only supports 10MB, and you really can't say much in that amount a time.
I will check out LOOM today. Thank you for the tip.
It was challenging for the first month. My son is now 9, but I am trying to teach him to self-assess and self-monitor his own learning. They've also never used chat, Google Class, or Slideshare and online assessments, so it is becoming aware of this new platform that was a little sticky. Now, my only concern is that he uses his independent time wisely. His school has a schedule where there is modeling, then IP work, then more modeling, and so on. He has some projects, and they have to check in with a warm-up every morning. My other concern is the number of math concepts for 4th grade. I hope he soaks it all in, and I try to support when I can. In the afternoons will review the concepts for the day.
-Mirta
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
I love that you are working on self-assessment and self-monitoring with your son. This is an excellent life skill for him to begin learning now!
Rebekah Dyer,
It is a necessity.
M
Some of my tips:
Meal prep on Sunday for the week. I have to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We do meal prep, and we also, at times, order delivery.
I use a calendar, and I have one for my son as well.
We use phone alerts to organize time.
We posted an anchor chart for my son (his daily schedule).
Mirta
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
I really want to do better with meal planning and meal prep. Do you use a specific website for ideas?
I really like the idea of using phone alerts as well. My son does this, but I have not tried it yet.
It sounds like you are doing a GREAT job of organizing a calendar and schedule for you and your son!
Rebekah Dyer,
Meal prep is a necessity. I wrote down the top 5 dishes we all like, and I mix it up a bit. I will make ground beef Sunday, and I can use it Monday for spaghetti and Wednesday for tacos (crunchy). I also use the crockpot and try to make soup 1 a week. Soup is easy. I wake up a little early and put it (soup) all together before our morning walk. I recently bought an air fryer, and you can cook the veggies half of the time on top, and on the bottom rack, you can cook the protein: fish, steak, or chicken. I use the air fryer, A LOT. I also pick 1 day, where I order dinner or lunch. I am stimulating the economy and saving time.
1. crockpot
2. air fryer
3. meal prep
I buy frozen organic veggies. They last long. We also buy organic fruits (frozen) for smoothies.
-Mirta
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
I really want to get an air fryer. I just want to make sure I will use it on a regular basis before I get one. Is there a particular one you recommend?
Rebekah Dyer,
I resisted for a long time. I received a promotional offer because a cousin works with Pampered Chef. So, I did not have to pay the full price. My best friend purchased hers from Best Buy, and she loves them. We are a family of three, so you can't go wrong with veggies on the top rack and the protein on the bottom rack. However, if you have a family or 5 or 6, I would recommend the large one.
-Mirta
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2020 1:00 PM
To: Frank Rotondo <frank.rotondo@my.gcu.edu>
Subject: New Forum Topic: ~ The Working From Home Circus ~
Rebekah Dyer posted in
All Faculty Forum
[Use the button below to view additional content]
Many of us may be new to working from home on a regular basis, and on top of that, we may have our children at home with us. We might feel like we are in a three-ring circus and this can be challenging for everyone involved! This session will provide useful tools and tips to create an effective workspace and balance the many dynamics of working from home. Join in the discussions as Dr. Rebekah Dyer, Professor for the College of Education, facilitates and shares ideas and strategies.
You can reply to this email to add a comment to this post.
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Frank Rotondo,
Great tips!
M
It sounds like you have a great system in place for how you keep your students engaged in the forum. This is an effective strategy to create social presence in your classroom.
Your suggestions for creating a balance when working from home sound not only effective, but also manageable. When I work from home, I do notice that I don't get up as often. I like the idea of making myself get up at least once an hour, and I am a HUGE fan of coffee!!!
I have been pretty good about making sure I have at least one day a week where I do not work at all. This helps me take the time to reflect and get focused for the next week.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts......now I'm off to refill my coffee! :)
Rebekah Dyer,
My husband was worried about this problem, as sitting down for extended hours can be bad for your health.
So, we wake up at 6 am, and we walk a mile. We do this M-Th. Saturday and Sunday, we ride our bikes for 30 minutes in the AM. We are naturally early risers, so it fits in with our lifestyle. However, this can most certainly be done in the afternoon after work as well. I have a home gym also, but I honestly prefer to be outside. Nature is great for our mental state, especially when we have to spend so much time home due to COVID!
My husband installed a wall TV in my office. I have ROKU so that I can search for dance workouts on YOUTUBE. At about 3 pm, if I do not have a meeting or student conference, I take a break and engage in about 10-20 minutes of ZUMBA or BOLLYWOOD. This has helped me more than I can imagine. My son is also not engaging in full PE at school either and not participating in recess, so he also needs the exercise.
Mirta
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola
I really enjoy being outside as well, and the weather in AZ is finally nice enough to exercise outside! Yay!
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2020 8:07 PM
To: Frank Rotondo <frank.rotondo@my.gcu.edu>
Subject: New Comment: ~ The Working From Home Circus ~
Mirta Ramirez-Espinola commented on
Rebekah Dyer's post
Rebekah Dyer
That is a good idea. Things have changed. When I was a child, we sat down and ate whatever was in front of us. We had no choices. :0)
M
Rebekah Dyer posted in
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Frank Rotondo
I find great value in family time around the dinner table. Our family has great conversations during this time, and with two teenage boys it can be difficult to catch them sitting still!