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Jo VanEvery

You are here: Home / Archives for saying no

Sometimes you need to say "No"

As an academic there are a lot of demands on your time. You can quickly get overwhelmed. I'm assuming you don't want to use passive-aggressive techniques like doing things badly so no one will ask you or being unfriendly to students so they won't come to office hours.

Knowing when and how to say "No" is an important skill. It leaves you time and energy for the things you want to say "Yes" to. It enables you to focus on your best contribution.

light brown 9-piece office chairs around a large circular wooden table in a glass walled office room with a blue abstract painting on the wall and monstera leaves in a vase on the table.

Making Decisions: meetings

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written in February 2021 as a follow up to Planning Your Winter Semester and was shared in the Academic Writing Studio. It has been edited and divided into a series of shorter posts for ease of reading. The general principles—habits, routines, and default responses—are explained in the first post in the […]

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Making Decisions: planning & scheduling

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written in February 2021 as a follow up to Planning Your Winter Semester and was shared in the Academic Writing Studio. It has been edited and divided into a series of shorter posts for ease of reading. The general principles—habits, routines, and default responses—are explained in the first post in the […]

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Overcommitted? Declaring a moratorium

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Overcommitted? Declaring a moratorium It’s easy to get overcommitted. In addition to all the things you have to do, there are a lot of things you would like to do. You don’t want to manage your workload by dropping everything that makes your work meaningful. In fact, I encourage […]

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Managing the energy you use to make decisions

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written in February 2021 as a follow up to Planning Your Winter Semester and was shared in the Academic Writing Studio. It has been edited and divided into a series of shorter posts for ease of reading. The others are available at the end of this post. Jo VanEvery, Academic Career […]

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A white mug of a presumably hot drink with a teaspoon sticking out of it is positioned next to an orange striped box of tissues with some of the scrunched up tissues next to it. A pair of up-turned glasses also sit nearby suggesting a dishevelled, ill-health situation.

Yes, you should take sick leave.

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Yes, you should take sick leave Note: I currently live in the UK and have previously lived in Canada. My statements are based on the general employment situation that pertains in those countries and countries like them, where there is significant employment protection in law, and significant levels of […]

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Managing your energy.

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written during a time when many universities and workplaces had shifted to remote work in response to the COVID pandemic. Although circumstances have now changed for many people, much of what I say in this post still applies. Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Managing your energy The academic year varies […]

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"You got this" is written in chalk capitals on a tarmac/asphalt road covered in autumnal leaves.

Are things getting worse? Or is dystopia the new normal?

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written during a time when many universities and workplaces had shifted to remote work in response to the COVID pandemic. Although circumstances have now changed for many people, much of what I say in this post still applies. Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Is dystopia the new normal? Things were […]

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Prioritizing rest over the winter break

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Jo VanEvery

Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Prioritizing Rest over the Winter Break I wrote this in December but it also applies at the end of 2nd semester when you are going into summer. Or, at other times of year when you have a break from teaching and you are feeling exhausted. On the first Friday […]

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So tired you could cry? Enable Low Power Mode.

Posted on November 26, 2020 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written during a time when many universities and workplaces had shifted to remote work in response to the COVID pandemic. Although circumstances have now changed for many people, much of what I say in this post still applies. This post is part 2 of a mini-series called So Tired You Could […]

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An illustration of a woman crying with her face resting on her hand in Victorian style dress.

So tired you could cry? Permission granted.

Posted on November 25, 2020 by Jo VanEvery

This post was originally written during a time when many universities and workplaces had shifted to remote work in response to the COVID pandemic. Although circumstances have now changed for many people, much of what I say in this post still applies. This post is part 1 of a mini-series called So Tired You Could […]

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Email overwhelm as a collective problem

Posted on November 6, 2020 by Jo VanEvery

Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Email Overwhelm as a Collective Problem. This post was prompted by the renowned classicist, Mary Beard, stoking up the embers of email stress recently over on Twitter. for all you guys (women and men) recommending 'delay delivery',. do you know what that means? It means that at 9.00 my […]

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What is your plan to rest?

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Jo VanEvery

Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · What is your plan to rest? I’ve asked this question of two of my Guide for the Journey clients this week and now, I’m going to ask you. What is your plan for getting more rest?  The beginning of a new academic year is a crunch time. It is […]

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