Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Thoughts on wrapping up teaching for the summer Academic work is cyclical. There are seasons to the work. You need to account for those cycles when you plan. Summer may feel like the research & writing part of the year. If you value teaching and being a good teacher, […]
Read More »Developing a Practice: Support
You might value your autonomy but you don't have to do this alone.
So tired you could cry? Enable Low Power Mode.
This post is part 2 of a mini-series called So Tired You Could Cry. The 1st part can be found here. You know when your phone warns you about the battery being low, it also asks if you want to enable Low Power Mode? You need to figure out what that looks like for you. […]
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So tired you could cry? Permission granted.
This post is part 1 of a mini-series called So Tired You Could Cry. The 2nd part is available here. You can cry! In fact, put it on your to-do list. Cry in the shower every morning. Cry in bed wrapped up in your blankets. At a minimum stop trying not to cry. Tiredness isn’t […]
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Recent additions vs good starting points
This page uses the standard blog layout: posts in reverse chronological order of publication date with this “sticky post” at the top to explain how things work. I’ve also created a list of good places to start for those unfamiliar with my approach. The things I write are often not time sensitive, except in the […]
Read More »Using the supports you need: Part 2
I have written previously about how I learned in yoga that it can be helpful to use supports in your practice. I’ve been thinking about this principle again recently in a different way. I think this might help you see the difference between useful supports and supports that help but also create other problems. A […]
Read More »Autonomy & asking for help
You are smart and competent. You work in an environment that values autonomy. You value autonomy. You feel like you should be able to do things yourself. However, you are also part of a complex division of labour in which other people’s work supports your daily existence. You probably don’t grow all of your own food, build your own […]
Read More »Using the supports you need
One of the things my yoga teachers are constantly reminding us about is that using supports is not a sign of weakness. Sometimes, in order to get the benefit of a pose, you need to use a block or a strap or modify the pose in some way. People vary. We are not all the […]
Read More »If someone’s crying, something needs to change
Although initially written about teaching, this post applies to any area of your work or life where you feel the things in the first set of bullet points. No one said teaching would be easy but … You shouldn’t be exhausted. You shouldn’t be close to tears on a regular basis. You shouldn’t be angry. Identify […]
Read More »You don’t have to do it alone
One of the great things about being an academic is how much autonomy you have compared to other jobs. Autonomy can also be one of the not so great things, too. If you are working really long hours and feeling overwhelmed with everything you have to do, you might have gone beyond autonomy. Help is […]
Read More »Starting to think about working in teams
Are you thinking it’s time to hire a research assistant or collaborate with a colleague or hire an editor? Whether you feel pushed by external pressures or by the internal recognition that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do all the things you want to do, this transition is hard. In addition to the practical […]
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