Being productive and keeping your sanity.

Being in graduate school is stressful (just google it - a lot of folks are struggling); there is a lot of pressure to always be productive, a lot of deadlines, assignments, and rigorous demands. There is also the added self-guilt if you take a day off, and a lot of pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect.

This is silly. Of course, we are expected to be reasonably productive, and to be accountable for course assignments, and teaching responsibilities, but this doesn't mean we need to be completely miserable doing it.  This past academic year, I have challenged myself to have at least one whole day off per week, and to not work past 6:30PM any evening. This change in my own schedule has dramatically changed my productivity level, my general mood, and my stress levels. I am more aware of when I am procrastinating because my self-worth has crumbled,  or if I am just stuck and need to go for a walk. It has allowed my husband and I to have more of a social life, and has forced me to be more accountable for how I use my time.

If you are feeling worn out or exhausted and it is related to your job, I want to encourage you to make changes in your own schedule that make sense. Compared to my old job, I have so much more flexibility in how I spend my time - and this can hinder my productivity level. I'm providing some tips below for how I have made these changes, though this list isn't exhaustive. We are all different, so some of these might seem reasonable and some might not. Do what makes sense for you.

• Set goals.  I set them once a month, and then once a week, and I re-evaluate if needed. I am in a writing group where we have an  internal blog set up that has really helped me be accountable. These goals don't just have to be research or work related goals. Get creative - do you want to work on a garden? or spend more time on art? What would make you happy? Think about setting monthly/weekly goals for those, too. 
• Set boundaries. I try as hard as I can to stick to not working past 6:30PM. Sometimes, you can't help it, and I think that occasionally it is OK - but, in general - setting a time where you need to put the pen down is beneficial. You know what the time is from when you wake up, and it makes you use time more efficiently during the day. Another boundary to think about is e-mail boundaries. Make sure to respond to them within a reasonable amount of time, but don't check your e-mail a hundred times a day. Think about two-three times a day you can check it, and that is it. And the quicker you handle the e-mails, the less time they will stress you out! 
• Build in breaks. Build in breaks throughout the day. Some people use the pomodoro technique; I use the 'social media technique'. If I am working on anything, and I start checking out any type of social media, I need to take a break. After I walk around for a few minutes, or actually scope out Facebook or instagram for a few minutes, I return with a new project. 
• Have a variety of options. I like having multiple projects I am working on at once,  that are at different stages, so that I can work on whatever feels better at the moment. Sometimes, deadlines pick what you are working on for you, and that is ok, too. 
• Mandatory day off. Build a day off into your schedule. Give it to yourself as a reward for being so productive! Do not check your e-mail, or do anything job related. Sleep in, eat really good food, exercise, do something. Sometimes you will get your weekly goals done before the week is up and you can have two days off!
• Use a tracker. I use ATracker PRO, an app on my iPhone where I log in all of my time spent during the day. I even log in my housework - because sometimes at the end of the day, I wonder "where did my time go?" , well now I know, and it helps me figure out how I can work more efficiently. 
• Figure out what works for you. I set my daily time at 6:30PM, because I have realized that I don't do good work after then. It just doesn't happen. I am much more productive in the morning, so that is how I have organized my day. I have also discovered that I need to get at least 30 minutes to an hour of physical activity in a day, to ease my anxiety and stress, and to get my blood flowing. 
• Be flexible. Sometimes the schedule just doesn't work. You can always make adjustments tomorrow, and can always switch around your days off. Don't beat yourself up about not hitting goals - this is why it is important to re-evaluate your goals. 

Good luck! I'd love to hear how some of you stay productive and sane!

Take care,
B

Sweet cake recipe that is good for gluten & dairy allergies!

My first post is going to be a quick one! We had an end of the semester celebration for one of my courses so I wanted to make food for it. We have three folks in the class with food allergies in the class, so whatever I made needed to be vegan, and free of gluten, chickpea, soy, and peanut. I also really wanted to try making a polenta cake after I tried a polenta cupcake a few months ago. What better way to procrastinate, than to bake?  I found this awesome recipe for a delicious vegan dessert: a blood-orange polenta cake; it isn't too sweet, has a wonderful moist texture, and it was so easy to make! This recipe ISN'T gluten free - I substituted the spelt flour for a gluten-free mix. It is always a good idea to check with your gluten-free folks to see how severe their allergies are; I don't have a gluten-free kitchen, so I wouldn't want to put anyone in danger! I also substituted the soy milk for an almond-coconut milk blend. I made sure to use corn meal from our local friends over at Four Star Farms!  in Northfield, MA. We don't have a 9in pan, so I made it in a 8in pan, and four cupcakes (D and I had to taste it before I brought it to people!!).

http://www.lovemefeedme.net/blood-orange-polenta-cake/