{"id":8685,"date":"2019-12-11T22:30:36","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T22:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accinsweb8366.wpenginepowered.com\/tledupdates\/?p=8685"},"modified":"2022-12-09T22:50:46","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T22:50:46","slug":"9-ways-to-stay-sane-during-grading-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/2019\/12\/11\/9-ways-to-stay-sane-during-grading-season\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Ways to Stay Sane During Grading Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Courtney Grams<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

[5-minute read] We know the end of the semester can be hectic for faculty.\u00a0Psychology Today<\/a>\u00a0says that \u201cProductivity results from a mix of factors: motivation, talent, training, work environment, support from others, time management, and even luck.\u201d The following tips will help you shed your end-of-semester procrastination and fast track your way to intersession (without losing your sanity!).<\/p>\n

1. Brain Dump with Morning\/Evening Pages<\/h3>\n
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As we get busier and busier toward the end of the semester the amount of thoughts swirling\u00a0around in our heads intensifies. According to the\u00a0British Psychology Society<\/a>, \u201cInsight-based problem-solving requires a broad, unfocused approach. You\u2019re more likely to achieve that Aha! revelatory moment when your\u00a0inhibitory brain processes are at their weakest and your thoughts are meandering.\u201d That\u2019s\u00a0why we suggest trying\u00a0morning or evening pages<\/a>. Take 10 minutes each day to \u201cbrain dump\u201d with this technique.<\/p>\n

2. Schedule Your Work<\/h3>\n
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With any project, it\u2019s important that you plan ahead in order to be successful. According to\u00a0time blocking expert, Kevin Kruse<\/a>, \u201cto-do lists contribute to stress. In what\u2019s known in psychology as the Zeigarnik effect, unfinished tasks contribute to intrusive, uncontrolled thoughts.\u201d Take 15 minutes to define what grading needs to get done & block time to accomplish your grading by the deadline. It\u2019s best to chunk projects into smaller tasks so that they feel more achievable!<\/p>\n

3. Keep Moving<\/h3>\n
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When you\u2019ve been stuck at your desk for an extended period of time, you start to feel it. The New York Times says that \u201cStanding up and walking around for five minutes every hour during the workday could lift your mood, combat lethargy without reducing focus and attention, and even dull hunger pangs, according to an instructive new study.\u201d We tell our students that breaks are important during studying, and periods of intense grading\u00a0are no different. Try a dance break with our\u00a0carefully crafted playlist<\/a>, or take a\u00a0walk<\/a>!<\/p>\n

4. Declutter Your Space<\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s the end of the year and things are piling onto your schedule and onto your workspace. Take a quick ten minutes to conquer that mountain of clutter to create your own mini-sanctuary. According to\u00a0Livestrong.com<\/a>, \u201cClutter can have a detrimental effect on your mental and physical health. In fact, some psychologists are starting to recognize that having a clean, organized home [or workspace!] is an essential part of the wellness equation.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Take a Cute Baby Animal Break<\/h3>\n
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\u201cAccording to\u00a0research by Hiroshima University<\/a>, looking at cute animal photos can increase fine motor\u00a0coordination and attention to detail,\u201d something that is very important for grading. We\u2019re suggesting that you do just that: look at cute baby animal photos. Prepare to have warm & fuzzy feelings (and enhanced attention to detail)!<\/p>\n

6. Pomodoro Your Work Time<\/h3>\n

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Hit \u201cdo not disturb\u201d with this interval focusing technique. \u201cThe\u00a0Pomodoro Technique<\/a>\u00a0was invented in the early 90s by developer, entrepreneur, and author Francesco Cirillo. Cirillo named the system \u2018Pomodoro\u2019 after the tomato-shaped timer he used to track his work as a university student.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Relieve Stress with Coloring<\/h3>\n
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Coloring is just as cool now as it was when you were a kid. This \u201conce-niche hobby<\/a>\u00a0has now grown into a full-on trend, with everyone from researchers at Johns Hopkins University to the editors of Yoga Journal suggesting coloring as an alternative to meditation.\u201d Our favorite coloring templates include\u00a0Fa la la llama<\/a>,\u00a0Happy Little Snowman<\/a>, and\u00a0Uni-Kitty<\/a>.<\/p>\n

8. Employ Auditory Neuroscience<\/h3>\n
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Several folks in our office have been raving about the positive impact\u00a0Brain.fm<\/a>\u00a0has had on their ability to focus at work. This online, scientific music radio offers playlists to help you focus, meditate, relax, and sleep. From their white paper: \u201cBrain.fm is a patented music software as a service technology that capitalizes on the latest in auditory neuroscience concepts coupled to empirical developments to generate music from the ground up that helps trigger specific cognitive states.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Meditate<\/h3>\n
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When stressed, whether it\u2019s anxiety, depression, or worry, one of the things people notice is that their attention begins to dissipate. When attention gets hijacked, focusing on the task at hand becomes difficult and the ability to concentrate vanishes. Mindfulness has been proven to increase attention, creativity, and help with emotional regulation. Try this five minute guided meditation to focus your awareness on the present moment.<\/p>\n

>>> You can use this in the classroom, too!<\/b>\u00a0Learn more about how to incorporate a mindful practice in your classroom by visiting \u201cWhen Mindfulness Meets the Classroom<\/a>\u201d Blog by Chelsea Biggerstaff (TLED Faculty Development Coordinator).<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favorite way to \u201cstay sane\u201d? Share in the comments below!<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Courtney Grams [5-minute read] We know the end of the semester can be hectic for faculty.\u00a0Psychology Today\u00a0says that \u201cProductivity results from a mix of factors: motivation, talent, training, work environment, support from others, time management, and even luck.\u201d The following tips will help you shed your end-of-semester procrastination and fast track your way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[151],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-administrative-memo"],"acf":{"carousel_content":false},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/12\/sane.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8685\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/instruction.austincc.edu\/tledupdates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}