Best of the Blog: Doing Too Much!
From time to time we will republish earlier posts that were followed by a number of comments or that received feedback indicating the value of the entry. This entry was originally published on March 22, 2004.
Doing too much – A New Blog Topic
"I apologize for the length of this letter, but I didn't have time to make it shorter.”
-- Mark Twain
If you find yourself so busy that you’re tempted to skim this entry and move on, than what follows is probably intended for you.
One advantage of a community of practice is that members share experiences, ideas, and reactions on an ongoing basis. Perhaps the most frequently uttered comments I’ve noticed these days from colleagues revolve around how busy, overcommitted, stretched, and even stressed many of us are. Even those individuals who ordinarily seem particularly adept at juggling multiple commitments appear to be frazzled. It’s no coincidence that one of our cluster’s themes is “teaching too much.” It’s part and parcel of “doing too much.” Ultimately one pays the price in terms of the impact on the quality of one's professional work, home life, or mental and physical health.
While each of us may not be feeling this pressure equally, it’s become common enough that it no longer appears to be a unique situation. There has been some research to document a similar phenomenon in the business world as well. The age of the computer has promised us greater efficiency, but with the ease of communication and access to information, has come greater expectations of what we can accomplish. Estimates of the time necessary to teach an online course, for example, indicate that it can frequently double or triple the time necessary to teach that same course in the classroom.
Taking a scholarly approach one would not be inclined to brush this issue aside, but rather do a bit of research, reflection, and if necessary take some action. It’s tempting to say we have no time for this, but in the end that’s not a helpful solution. In the coming weeks, the blog will feature some posts related to this issue. You are encouraged to add your own perspective to this process. Are you feeling the push? Have you developed strategies to avoid being overextended? Can you manage information effectively? Are you good at setting limits? Are there ways to accomplish more given your available time and energy? How do we create that valuable “space” between the multiple activities of our life?
Stay tuned...