Tag Archives: work

My Own Schedule

There is a terrifying thing happening recently concerning my schedule: I’m in charge of it. While this has to some extent been a dream for a long time it comes with its own magnificent set of problems. The biggest problem is keeping whatever schedule I set for myself. In some ways this has always been a problem (even before I was taking care of my son during the day) but in other ways having a great deal of time on my hands with so many things to do I get a little bit lost in the middle of it all. … Continue reading →

Whelmed

There is a joke that appeared in the film “10 Things I Hate About You” where they note that the word “whelmed” doesn’t really communicate anything by itself in common usage. It must be adorned with a prefix (over or under) for the word to carry meaning for most people. While the word does exist (go ahead and do a web search) and does carry meaning (essentially that of “overwhelmed”) it was the first word I thought of yesterday when trying to define the feeling I was experiencing: Whelmed (read: overwhelmed). My reasons will be different than yours (qualifying exams, … Continue reading →

Impress Your Teachers

For better or for worse I’m around a lot of teachers this time of the year (and throughout the coming year). This is the time when most teachers are preparing their courses. They sit and create outlines. They type up their syllabi. They consult the required textbooks for the course they are about to teach. In all of this preparation (something that most take very seriously) there is an underlying anxiety that is manifested from horror stories and past experiences of teaching. This anxiety is expressed normally as a joke to lessen the sense of unease these teachers feel as … Continue reading →

Final Presentation

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I just finished a day where I had to give two 20 minute presentations over two topics in one day. This was an interesting project for me because I really like to give personal presentations without notes or specifically written down arguments in order to let those listening influence my presentation held together by the forward progress of selected slides. On a day when one presentation determined my ability to continue as a doctoral student there was no room for error (Don’t worry, I passed). I’ve never so fully planned out and plotted a presentation before. One of the things … Continue reading →

Dad’s Work Chair

One of the few realms Dad has a good amount of control over is the desk. It is readily observed as Dad’s desk and everyone treats it as such. Proof of this can be found simply by leaving a mess of books around the house. Inevitably those books, when my wife finds their current placement angering, will end up haphazardly stacked on the desk. Shirts and sweaters left around the house will eventually be thrown either on the desk or in the desk chair. This small little realm is a joyous and necessary place for Dad. The rigors of graduate … Continue reading →

The Magic of “No” Part V: The Moral

This little tale I’ve stylized in the previous installments has occurred over and over again. Time after time this series of events happens to people who can’t find a way to say “no” to something they shouldn’t have said “yes” to in the first place. I’ve seen it so often that I’ve practically become a consultant for this type of situation (or at least I’m often asked to function in that capacity). Part of the reason I’m asked to take this role is that I learned the hard way to say “no.” Now I say “no” quite frequently. Part of … Continue reading →

Showers: More Than Just Hygiene, Says Study

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Is a shower part of your daily ritual? Maybe you like one first thing in the morning, to get your brain going. Maybe you like one before bed, so the warm water can help you relax. A new study has shown that showering during the workday can actually help increase productivity! Four businesses took part in an eight week study sponsored by Mira Showers, a shower designer in the United Kingdom. (They’re owned by kitchen and bath powerhouse Kohler, in case you’re curious.) The study included ad executives, restaurant industry workers, architects, and more. Study participants were asked to record … Continue reading →

News Flash: Moms Work Hard

Subtitle: DUH! A new European poll studying the amount of work an average mother completes in a day yielded some less than shocking results. (What surprised me more is why they conducted the poll in the first place.) According to the new survey, the average mother is overworked. Now, how many of us really needed an official poll to come to that conclusion? The survey found that the average mother works five-and-a-half hours a day at a paid job but also spends 45 minutes preparing meals, 42 minutes completing household chores, and 31 minutes shopping for groceries. Add to that … Continue reading →

Adults with ADHD in the Workplace

A new study from the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) lose more than three weeks per year in workplace productivity. Researchers from the World Health Organization surveyed nearly two hundred thousand people in thirty countries around the world. They also performed diagnostic assessments on more than seven thousand employed adults in Belgium, Columbia, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States. According to the data from the World Health Organization, between three and four percent of all adults worldwide suffer from ADHD. However, many adults may not realize … Continue reading →

How Much Does Your Pet Influence Your Lifestyle?

A week or two ago, I saw a story on Today about people who take their pets to work. I didn’t catch the full story, however. I think it was really more about how much pets influence some people’s lives. All aspects of it. Work One of the men profiled in the Today piece explained how he had moved his workplace for his dog. Apparently he runs his own business and leases office space. When a landlord prohibited pets from being in the building, the man went and found more accommodating office space elsewhere. But other people who didn’t own … Continue reading →