Saturday, September 25, 2010

A Day in the Life of an Associate Professor

It has been a while since I wrote a "day in the life" blog. So, as I enjoy my Saturday morning coffee, here is a look back at my busiest day last week.

6 - 7 am - Answer email, read and respond to a graduate student paper, organize calendar.

8 - 9: 30 am - Drop dear child off at school; Drive to work; Talk to two colleagues by phone about research projects and committees; move more stuff into new office. 

9:30 - 11:30 am - Academic Workload Advisory Committee

11:30 - 12 - Squat and gobble while printing handouts, agenda and updating website

12 - 1:30 pm - Chair, Educational Studies in Language, Culture and Technology Meeting

1:30 - 3:00 pm - Graduate Programs in Education Council

4:00 pm - Music lessons with child

6:30 pm - Sound check and mingle with cool educators!

7:00 - 9:15 pm - Panelist, CRC's Digital Citizenship Symposium

9:45 pm - Fill vehicle with gas and find my way home.

Thankfully, most of my days are not this busy - most professors can and DO handle a few of these busy days a month. In fact, many of my colleagues seem busier than me - emails at all hours of the day, and slightly disheveled attire and grooming, attest to their hectic and demanding schedules! [Having fun here, friends!].

An academics' busy schedule demands that we make trade-offs - we all have to make choices about how we spend / invest our time in order to maintain an active research program, prepare articles and grant applications, offer quality teaching and graduate supervision, do journal editing and make conference presentations, engage in administrative and leadership service on dozens of committees, and cultivate a healthy and happy family life. On that note, I have to go get ready for hockey practice with my two kids. Cheers.

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