Reflect, Restore, and
Accomplish More!
Pam Edwards, Academic Advisor, University of Southern Maine
Laura O’Neill, Coordinator of Academic Affairs/Academic Counselor,
University of Southern Maine
Our Plan for Today
 Opening Activity
 Organize your Workspace
 Manage Your Time
 Switchtasking-Activity
 Covey’s Quadrants
 Create New Habits
 Set Priorities
 SMART Goal Setting
 Stress Less- Find Your Zone
 Timeshifting
 Informing Your Advising Practice
 Motivational Interviewing
 Set Your Goal
 Closing Activity
 Take Aways & Resources
Opening Activity
Uh oh!
Organization – ahhh…
How to Begin –
Organize your Work Space
 Why organize?
 Saves time locating what you need
 More time focused on the work that needs doing
 Less stress for you
 Good example for student advisees
 Take 3 – 5 minutes to make a plan
 Paperless system (yeah - right!)
 Organize by Throw and Keep first or move directly to
 Organize by Category (Policies, Acad Recovery, Data)
 Have containers available (trash cans, trash bags, etc.)
 Use sticky notes or other labels if you have lots of categories
 Have a maybe category – don’t waste time reading documents
Ask Yourself
 Do I need this? If the answer is yes:
 Does it need to be in paper form?
 Can it be scanned?
 Is it located elsewhere (institutional data,
printouts of rarely used info)?
 Is the information out of date and perhaps
irrelevant?
 Really? Are you sure?
 What will happen if I do not have this?
 Note: Check with your institution about
length of time to keep info relevant to
student records, personnel files, etc.
Then…
File it (or scan it)
Shred it or
Toss it out!
Exception!
 Keep all Thank You notes!
 They are rare.
 Just seeing the stack of them can brighten
your day!
Filing & Organizing
What Remains
 Treat yourself to some new folders.
 Label by logical category: Appts, Make Notes, To Do,
Academic Recovery, Major Advising Info, Staff
Meetings, Policy, Data, etc…
 With limited funds you can organize your desk with
ceramic or plastic containers or baskets, shoeboxes…
 Reward - Put positive pictures or photos on your desktop
covered in clear plastic or glass. When your desk is clear
your reward is visible!
 What do you need frequently? Keep that close.
 Decide - on your desk, or filed away?
 Do you typically use handouts in your student
appointments? If so, keep them handy.
 What does need to be kept & filed but perhaps in a
storage room?
 Set up a time each day or week to keep organized.
Fun Ideas – Make it Yours!
Desk Sets?
Creative
Time Management
 Begin each day with an achievable goal
 Be sure to set aside enough time to complete this goal – perhaps one of two
steps toward a larger goal.
 “Today, I will create a graduation planner for the Communication and Media Studies
majors that include Core, major, and elective requirements.”
 Consider what time of your day are you most productive or are least likely to be
interrupted. Plan to do more complex tasks during this time.
 Set up your environment in a way that is productive for you. Have all materials
needed to complete the task handy, good lighting, etc.
 Eliminate Distractions - Shut your door. Forward your phone for an appropriate
amount of time if needed. Let others know this is “project time”.
 Check in with yourself periodically during the day to see how you are
progressing on your goal.
 If you need to, evaluate and rework your time frame.
 Reward yourself somehow once the task is completed. You did it!
Whitbourne, Susan (October 27, 2011). A Five-Minute Guide to Effective Time Management. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201110/five-minute-guide-effective-time-management
Multi/Switchtasking
 Switchtasking exercise!
• Our brain is designed to focus on
one thing at a time.
• Increases cortisol production
• Can reduce IQ
Kim, L. (July 14, 2015). Multitasking is Killing Your Brain. Retrieved
from http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/why-multi-tasking-is-killing-yourbrain.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCeGKxz3Q8Q
Crenshaw, D. (2008). Myth of multitasking: How doing it all gets nothing
done (1st ed.). San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCeGKxz3Q8Q
Covey’s Quadrants - Activities
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Covey’s Quadrants – Results of Primary
Focus in One Area
Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Restoring the
character ethic. New York: Free Press. Pp 151-154
Create New Habits – Planning
 Routines and good habits help so you can devote
brain power and energy on detailed or unexpected
activities and interruptions.
 Start small – 1 or 2 changes at a time
 Set aside time to stay organized
 Smart phone apps can help too – if you like them
 Examples:
 First and last half hour of the day to check email, phone
messages, and prepare for appointments. If you cannot
complete all within that time, set a time to do so.
 Use “canned” email messages that allow for
customization.
 Prepare copies of regularly used handouts & replenish
each week.
FOCUS – Follow One Course Until
Successful
(Lehmkuhl, p 44)
 Set aside specific times for (with some
examples)
 Work – projects, email
 Planning – preparing for appointments
 Creating – developing workshops &
materials
 Connecting – meet and stay in touch
with colleagues and major faculty
 Lunch – if you don’t take care of you,
you cannot be there for others
Lehmkuhl, Dorothy and Dolores C. Lamping. (1993) Organizing for the Creative Person. New York, Crown Publishers. p.44
SMART Goals
 SMART Goals are:
 Specific – Describe what you want to accomplish with as much detail as
possible.
 Measurable – Describe your goal in terms that can be clearly evaluated.
 Action Oriented – Your goal should focus on actions rather than personal
qualities.
 Realistic – Identify a goal you are actually capable of attaining.
 Timely – Identify a goal that breaks a longer-term goal into a shorter term
goal(s) and clearly specifies a completion date.
Dembo, M and Seli, H. (2013) Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A
Self-Management Approach. (Fourth Edition) (pp. 111-112) London/NY, Routledge.
Find Your Zone with Less Stress
 Being in the zone is defined by Cambridge Dictionaries Online
as: “If you are in the zone, you are happy or excited because
you are doing something very skillfully and easily.”
 Mindful Check-ins
 1 minute STOP pauses throughout the day to help you refocus
 Don’t require much time but rather a shift in your awareness
 Stopping,
 Take a breath,
 Observing,
 Proceeding on with presence
 1 Minute Pause – ahhhh…
Hoos, Michele (December 30, 2012). Think You Can’t Meditate? Try This. [The Muse]
Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/think-you-cant-meditate-try-this
What is timeshifting?
“The practice of timeshifting recognizes that
every single moment has a particular rhythm to
it, and that we have the capacity to expand or
contract an individual moment as appropriate.
One way to shift what's going on in our world is
not to try to rush to do more, but to allow
ourselves to go deeper into that moment of
being present. Our ability to shift gears, to shift
our rhythm to meet that moment and be
present in it, is what allows us to experience the
fullness of life - to create our life in the way we
want it to be.“
--Stephan Rechtschaffen
Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.
How can we practice timeshifting at work?
•
•
•
•
•
In the Moment
Boundaried Time
Spontaneous Time
Honoring the Mundane
Time Retreats
Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.
In the Moment
• Take a few mini-breaks daily and concentrate on breathing.
• Arrive early for meetings and compose yourself before others arrive.
• Pause after completing one task and before beginning another.
• Practice mindfulness by only doing one thing at a time and giving it
your full attention.
• Learn how to timeshift in the midst of busyness. While waiting for the
photocopier to finish, timeshift into the present instead of feeling the
anxiety of tasks that still need to be completed.
Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.
Boundaried Time
• Arrive at work 10 minutes early. Take this time for yourself.
• Set aside regular time for planning—no interruptions, no crisis
management, no attention to current issues allowed.
• Don’t work during lunch.
• In your calendar, make appointments with yourself. Use that time for
planning, simple breathing and thought.
Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.
Spontaneous Time
• Leave the office next
Wednesday afternoon without
any plans. Play hookey for the
afternoon.
• Spend time at work with
someone you barely know. Talk
about things other than work.
Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.
Honoring the Mundane
• Notice the simple things that you do at work that you get
satisfaction from. Like entering advising notes, or working on a
spreadsheet. When you have such a task, don’t rush it, let yourself
be in the moment.
• Practice “senseless acts of beauty” in your work environment. Bring
in fresh cut flowers, change the lighting, rearrange pictures on your
wall or desk.
• Be present when you clean your desk, realizing how getting rid of
the clutter helps clear the moment.
Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.
Inform Your Advising Practice Through
Motivational Interviewing
 Close the door.
 Forward the phone.
 Give them your undivided attention.
 Use friendly body language.
 Work toward a 30% vs. 70% model with the advisor speaking 30% or less.
 Stop meeting people where they are at – instead
 Remember that people are more willing to change when it is their idea
 What we say, how we say it, and how it lands largely determines how the
person responds and what happens next.
 Focus your purpose, attention and energy on understanding what the
person’s message means to them.
Andrew, Stephen. (December 16, 2016). Motivational Interviewing: The Basics - Using Motivational Interviewing as a Strategy for Engaging Vets. Workshop
offered through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, State of Maine at the University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME.
Motivational Interviewing - More Tips
 Empathize. What is the person experiencing now?
What are they not saying?
 Listen with your “soft” eyes, ears, and your heart.
 Be accepting and optimistic; show delight in their
ideas.
 Be curious; allow them to imagine.
 Open ended questions when appropriate.
Tell me more about…?
 Affirmations to help build confidence
 Double-sided reflection – test the meaning, what is
not being said, opposing ideas, present the dream.
 Summarize to help solidify and keep on track with the
work you have done together.
Andrew, Stephen. (December 16, 2016). Motivational Interviewing: The Basics - Using Motivational Interviewing as a Strategy for Engaging Vets. Workshop
offered through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, State of Maine at the University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME.
SMART Goals – your turn
 SMART Goals are:
 Specific – Describe what you want to accomplish with as much detail as possible.
 Measurable – Describe your goal in terms that can be clearly evaluated.
 Action Oriented – Your goal should focus on actions rather than personal qualities.
 Realistic – Identify a goal you are actually capable of attaining.
 Timely – Identify a goal that breaks a longer-term goal into a shorter term goal(s) and
clearly specifies a completion date. (Dembo, pp 111-112)
 What is one goal you can set for yourself that brings you closer to being
more organized, less stressed, and in your ZONE?
Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A Self-Management Approach
by Dembo and Seli. Routledge, London/NY, 2013. Fourth Edition. (pp. 111-112)
Closing Activity
Resources!
 Copy of today’s PowerPoint
 Additional Resources
 Adult Coloring page from www.coloringpagesbliss.com
 The Muse https://www.themuse.com/ - sign up for daily
reminders or to search for articles, jobs, etc.
 Motivational Interviewing – http://www.motivationalinterviewing.org/
 Relaxing Music for Stress Relief - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLRjXorI_4
 Breathe in sync with this link:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/b1406ea40336dc68e5404b380c391d96/tumblr_nsj9tcMO
gY1qkv5xlo1_500.gif
 Baby Giggle videos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49VXZwfup8
 Take Away to hang in your office as a reminder
Bibliography

Andrew, Stephen. (December 16, 2016). Motivational Interviewing: The Basics - Using Motivational Interviewing as a Strategy
for Engaging Vets. Workshop offered through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, State of Maine
at the University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME.

Carlson, R (1998). Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work: Simple Ways to Minimize Stress and Conflict While Bringing Out the Best
In Yourself and Others. New York: Hyperion.

Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. New York: Free Press.

Crenshaw, D. (2008). Myth of multitasking: How doing it all gets nothing done (1st ed.). San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCeGKxz3Q8Q

Dembo, M and Seli, H. (2013) Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A Self-Management Approach.
(Fourth Edition) (pp. 111-112) London/NY, Routledge.

Hoos, Michele. (December 30, 2012). Think You Can’t Meditate? Try This. [The Muse] Retrieved from
https://www.themuse.com/advice/think-you-cant-meditate-try-this

Kim, L. (July 14, 2015). Multitasking is Killing Your Brain. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/why-multi-tasking-iskilling-your-brain.html

Lehmkuhl, Dorothy and Dolores C. Lamping. (1993) Organizing for the Creative Person. New York, Crown Publishers.

Rechtschaffen, S (1996). Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life. New York: Broadway Books.

Whitbourne, Susan. (October 27, 2011). A Five-Minute Guide to Effective Time Management. Retrieved from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201110/five-minute-guide-effective-time-management