It’s finally upon me… my busiest week of the year… at least it better be.
Following a half-week trip to Seattle with Eva (to visit old friends), I’ve dropped into a marathon work sprint that won’t end until March 4th. So, considering the sprint started on Thursday, I guess it’s more like a week and a half. The last time I worked on my dissertation was a week earlier (and then it was only for two and a half hours). I’ve been busier than I like since the first of the year.
Now, tomorrow I am delivering a keynote for the California Association of Health Career Educators, an audience I am sure to learn from (in the spirit of two-way teaching, which is once again my topic). Then, the following day I am presenting a District tech plan to the superintendent and her cabinet, and then to the planning committee, in Palm Springs. With a little break to prep for the keynote, wrapping up the tech plan has taken all my time the past three days… and will again tomorrow.
Then I have a day and a half to prep for 15 hours of instruction at the CUE conference on March 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. (And I’ll take a break from that to present on Video Games in Education as a “virtual” guest speaker for one of Sheryl‘s events on Tuesday.)
And, of course, as my advisor (Dr. Jock Schorger) likes to say, “life has a way of happening.” My back seized up while we were traveling and I finally broke down and saw a doctor Thursday afternoon. Sitting at my desk all day isn’t helping, but thanks to some muscle relaxants (and getting some of this work done, I suspect) I seem to be recovering.
Sadly, I gave up both Friday and Saturday night with Eva. I have often worked too much, but I never liked doing that – and I’m getting better at not doing it. I’m certainly not in the habit of it anymore… so I’m not at all happy about missing out on my “and Life” time. At least I’m learning my limits… and at least I took a moment to collect my thoughts for a blog post. I maintain I’m learning from the experience even if this blog does devolve into a journal from time to time. Perhaps someone else might, too. A colleague and I had a conversation about working too much a few days ago… and he seemed to be resigned to knowing he wouldn’t change. I suspect many of my colleagues feel that way; I did. For several years now, actually, I’ve wanted to change and I’m continuing to slowly take steps toward a more balanced life. :)
UPDATE: Dan brings up a good point in the comments below. I don’t even have kids yet. There are working single moms in the same Ph.D. program I’m in. I don’t know how they do it… and I don’t know how many of my colleagues do it, especially the ones with gnarly commutes, too. Still, I know I want to have this degree (and with any luck this work-a-holism) out of the way before Eva and I start our family, which will happen as soon after graduation as humanly possible if Eva has her way. ;)