Most people will think this statement is crazy, but I think I’m lucky to have a hyper-organized brain. I often joke that I have a mild case of OCD, but this has never been diagnosed. My ability to organize and keep numerous schools and assignments straight has been a huge benefit to me as an online instructor.
Currently, I’m juggling three jobs – a full-time online instructor position, a part-time instructor position, and a part-time writing and editing role. Not to mention a house, three kids and their variety of activities, and a basement remodel. Keeping everything straight and having a game plan for each day is vital to my success in all areas. I’m one of those people who is often asked, “How do you do it?” And the answer is that I just do – but it also involves a lot of lists, intense organization, and planning.
My number one key to staying organized is to carve out half an hour each Sunday afternoon to plan out the following week. Within that half hour I map out, day-by-day, what needs to be accomplished for each of my jobs during the next week. If I have discussion grades due on Thursday, I try to have them complete by Wednesday to give myself some buffer time if something unexpected comes up – such as a sick child or early dismissal from school. I also plan out the families activities for the week – dance lessons for the girls, piano for my son, yoga for me, golf for my husband – and work those fun activities into our day so I know to work around them. I send my husband an email listing what is happening for our family each week so he’s on board as well.
Once my week is set on Sunday afternoon, it is often times difficult for me to plan other activities, events, etc. into my week. If a friend randomly wants to meet for coffee on a Wednesday morning, I can do it – but I’ll have to pay the price later in the day to keep on track with my work schedule. While I need to learn to say no more often, I usually want to see friends and have coffee, so I say yes and then end up working later that night to make up the time. If I don’t make up the time and accomplish my tasks each day, it can quickly spiral. I’m juggling too many plates to let one drop!
Another key to staying organized while teaching online is having a set calendar in place. Each of my weeks is similar which allows me to know how many hours I need each day to complete certain tasks within each course I’m teaching.
I’m also an avid list maker with lists for every aspect of my life. I have a list for each job, a list for home, a list for writing, etc. I also divide my lists up by the amount of time each part of my list will take to accomplish. If I only have 15 minutes until I need to pick up the kids from school, it is often tempting to do nothing – but if I can see an item on my list that I know will take less than 15 minutes – I can oftentimes knock it out and not waste those short bursts of time.
All online instructors need to find what works best for them. Some instructors use white boards to plan their weeks and deadlines. Some set reminders within online calendars. No matter what method is utilized, being organized is critical to being successful as an online instructor.
About the Author
Jamie Weitl is a WAHM teaching for several online universities and raising three precocious little ones. In her spare time she enjoys writing, baking, and running. For more info, see my Google Plus Profile.
