Most everything in the American culture is rushed. We spend so much time moving from one activity to the next that it is terribly hard to drown ourselves in any given experience. I am pushing, if only a little, towards a life where time means less and enjoyment means more. One way to do this is to make sure I give proper time to the things that matter. Setting aside time for what you care about is important. I learned over the past few years that you cannot mead out the time you spend with your family. It is not possible to say, “I will give you two hours tonight.” That is language they don’t understand, nor is it conducive to any form of enjoyment, as the time limit becomes a roadblock quickly rushing towards you. I see it when I coach football. How much time will I have for X, Y, Z?
I’m learning that you have to set aside time for the things that time can be set aside for. Grading is one such beast. My policy of 48 hrs turnaround or you get an A is sure to cause a few A’s in the beginning, but I will get to the point where it works well enough for me to stick with it.
As for the personal and professional writing, That too needs to happen on a schedule that provides a sense of freedom in the rest of my life. I just haven’t found a way to make that happen yet.