I hope everyone had a great end of the semester and congratulations to all of the December graduates. Today, we’re taking a break from discussions about the current issues facing higher education and tips to be more productive. Instead, as my present to you, I want to share my three favorite Christmas music videos. Take some time to relax and enjoy your family and friends.
Merry Christmas!
The Grinch
Charlie Brown Christmas Dance
John Denver and the Muppets sing 12 Days of Christmas
A college campus is a wonderful place to work. There are few work environments that could be better. We have smart and talented colleagues and students. We have beautiful buildings and grounds to enjoy. Campuses are a hive of activities. One of the reasons that I went into higher education is that I wanted to spend my career working on a college campus. Since I turned 18, my life has revolved around academic calendars, college sporting events, and spring breaks. Unfortunately, I haven’t always taken advantage of all the opportunities available on campus, but I have pledged to take time to enjoy campus.
One of the reasons that I moved to SMU was to be able to enjoy all that a campus offers. I used to live an hour away from Tuscaloosa when I was at UA and hardly ever participated in campus life. I taught my classes, did my work, and went home.
A short post today so you can get back to your turkey and football. We have so much to be thankful for in higher ed.
Last week at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), my research assistant and I presented a project that we’ve been working on for over a year now. The study, Exploring Involuntary Presidential Turnover in American Higher Education, asks a simple question: Why do college presidents get fired? For today’s post, I want to share some of the more interesting findings of what we discovered.
One of the easiest things to do to improve your productivity is to keep your desk clean. I know many people who have messy desks say they know exactly where everything is within the piles of paper. I don’t buy it. You might be able to find what you need, but it will take longer than if it was put where it was supposed to go. And even if you can find everything, I believe a messy desk adds stress to your work life. A clean desk can have a calming effect.
OfficeMax conducted a survey a few years ago and found that 90% of Americans report that clutter and a lack of organization negatively impacted their lives.
