Comments on: Time management discussion with Ann Althouse (only sort of) http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:31:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: m http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75931 m Thu, 24 May 2007 15:46:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75931 i like this piece, sometimes I think it's a good deal to be a grad student than a employee, boz i have my own time to organize things and real free spots for study, I don't know whether I am too stupid about that. thanks anyway i like this piece, sometimes I think it's a good deal to be a grad student than a employee, boz i have my own time to organize things and real free spots for study, I don't know whether I am too stupid about that. thanks anyway

]]> By: Dave http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75883 Dave Thu, 24 May 2007 13:49:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75883 I think Ann's response illustrates what I was trying to say...I also don't believe anyone can be happy or effective when they just decide to make tradeoffs: "Even though I don't like what I'm doing, I'm going to do it because it supports my overall goals." That's like saying, I hate what I do at work every day, but it puts food on the table for my family, which means they don't starve, so it's great." You have to find a way to make it interesting and likeable. It's not just rationalizing after the fact...when you can find the interesting angle, then what at first looks boring becomes interesting. When it becomes interesting, you can do it well. But if you think of things as "paying dues" or a "necessary evil," it doesn't work. At least not for me. I think Ann's response illustrates what I was trying to say…I also don't believe anyone can be happy or effective when they just decide to make tradeoffs: "Even though I don't like what I'm doing, I'm going to do it because it supports my overall goals." That's like saying, I hate what I do at work every day, but it puts food on the table for my family, which means they don't starve, so it's great." You have to find a way to make it interesting and likeable. It's not just rationalizing after the fact…when you can find the interesting angle, then what at first looks boring becomes interesting. When it becomes interesting, you can do it well. But if you think of things as "paying dues" or a "necessary evil," it doesn't work. At least not for me.

]]> By: Ann Althouse http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75860 Ann Althouse Thu, 24 May 2007 12:50:32 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75860 (Sorry to have typo'd my own name there. I really is me...) (Sorry to have typo'd my own name there. I really is me…)

]]> By: Anne 2.1 » Blog Archive » links for 2007-05-23 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75622 Anne 2.1 » Blog Archive » links for 2007-05-23 Wed, 23 May 2007 23:28:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75622 [...] Time management discussion with Ann Althouse (only sort of) » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk “instead of trying to eliminate the bad parts of a job, try focusing on what part of your day is fulfilling core needs for you, and make sure your job facilitates that fulfillment.” (tags: career advice annalthouse blogging comments vocation calling authenticity) [...] [...] Time management discussion with Ann Althouse (only sort of) » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk "instead of trying to eliminate the bad parts of a job, try focusing on what part of your day is fulfilling core needs for you, and make sure your job facilitates that fulfillment." (tags: career advice annalthouse blogging comments vocation calling authenticity) [...]

]]> By: Ann Althosue http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75605 Ann Althosue Wed, 23 May 2007 22:38:12 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75605 Penelope: You really misunderstood me. "Ann wants to write about constitutional law. That’s her field." No, no, no. As I've said repeatedly on my blog and all my regular readers know, I write about whatever interests me and that is what I love to do. I write about constitutional law when it interests me, and I never write about anything that doesn't interest me. "She wants to get non-legal types talking about the difficult legal issues that are at the core of our country. But she realizes that a constitutional law blog would be dead on arrival: 'If I said this is all law all the time I wouldn’t have the lay readers that I like engaging on legal topics.'" No, I appreciate having a wide readership, because it means that when I do write about law, I reach a lot of laypersons. But an all-conlaw blog can be successful too, with a different, smaller audience, and if it was what I wanted to write, that's exactly what I would do. "I asked her if it’s hard to blog about topics that are not central to her interest and she said: “You can’t like everything you do.”" Anyone who knows my blog knows this is completely off! I assume I said that quote if you wrote it down, but it couldn't have referred to the non-law topics. Spend five minutes looking at my blog and it will be obvious that the variety of topics isn't a way to enable my conlaw writing. I blog for the sheer intrinsic value of it. I have never written a post that I didn't like writing on the theory that it would help the overall blog project. I just never operate that way and I don't recommend it. Things I do that I don't like doing include: going to meetings at work, cleaning my house, doing adminstrative paperwork, fixing technical problems on the blog, grading exams. The advice I was trying to convey is that the way to get things done is have things to do that are intrinsically rewarding, as blogging and being a law professor are for me. And as for comments, they can take up a lot of time, but I do read them when they interest me, and I often take part in the discussion in the comments. Go check out my blog and you'll see. Penelope: You really misunderstood me. "Ann wants to write about constitutional law. That’s her field." No, no, no. As I've said repeatedly on my blog and all my regular readers know, I write about whatever interests me and that is what I love to do. I write about constitutional law when it interests me, and I never write about anything that doesn't interest me.

"She wants to get non-legal types talking about the difficult legal issues that are at the core of our country. But she realizes that a constitutional law blog would be dead on arrival: 'If I said this is all law all the time I wouldn’t have the lay readers that I like engaging on legal topics.'" No, I appreciate having a wide readership, because it means that when I do write about law, I reach a lot of laypersons. But an all-conlaw blog can be successful too, with a different, smaller audience, and if it was what I wanted to write, that's exactly what I would do.

"I asked her if it’s hard to blog about topics that are not central to her interest and she said: “You can’t like everything you do.”"
Anyone who knows my blog knows this is completely off! I assume I said that quote if you wrote it down, but it couldn't have referred to the non-law topics. Spend five minutes looking at my blog and it will be obvious that the variety of topics isn't a way to enable my conlaw writing. I blog for the sheer intrinsic value of it. I have never written a post that I didn't like writing on the theory that it would help the overall blog project. I just never operate that way and I don't recommend it. Things I do that I don't like doing include: going to meetings at work, cleaning my house, doing adminstrative paperwork, fixing technical problems on the blog, grading exams.

The advice I was trying to convey is that the way to get things done is have things to do that are intrinsically rewarding, as blogging and being a law professor are for me.

And as for comments, they can take up a lot of time, but I do read them when they interest me, and I often take part in the discussion in the comments. Go check out my blog and you'll see.

]]> By: Recruiting Animal http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75523 Recruiting Animal Wed, 23 May 2007 17:25:57 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75523 I got a real kick out of seeing a political blogger, Ann Althouse on a career blog. (And one whose politics are probably different from yours). I don't know if it's the appropriate word but I found it a bit "picante". True as your conclusion is, however, (and you laid out your argument well), some jobs are all about slinging coffee. And Ann's day job isn't. So she can afford to be more philosophical about the blog. I got a real kick out of seeing a political blogger, Ann Althouse on a career blog. (And one whose politics are probably different from yours).

I don't know if it's the appropriate word but I found it a bit "picante".

True as your conclusion is, however, (and you laid out your argument well), some jobs are all about slinging coffee. And Ann's day job isn't. So she can afford to be more philosophical about the blog.

]]> By: Anne Z. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75511 Anne Z. Wed, 23 May 2007 16:41:41 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75511 That's a really useful insight, Penelope. I am writing an article about achieving goals and this fits right in. I don't like to deal with comments either. I take an Ann Althouse style approach though I feel I should probably do a better job of getting in on the conversation. I've noticed you do a great job of responding to comments. That's a really useful insight, Penelope. I am writing an article about achieving goals and this fits right in.

I don't like to deal with comments either. I take an Ann Althouse style approach though I feel I should probably do a better job of getting in on the conversation. I've noticed you do a great job of responding to comments.

]]> By: Dave http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75482 Dave Wed, 23 May 2007 15:15:21 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/23/time-management-discussion-with-ann-althouse-only-sort-of/#comment-75482 What you perceive as crappy about a job is often perspective...example, I realized recently that a lot of the mundane tasks I don't enjoy doing are things I would have to do anyway if I were running my own website instead of supporting my employer's site. I started to make a list of what I would do with my own site...if only I had time...and how I might eventually translate that into an alternative to my job. There was a lot of overlap. When you can see your calling, and you can reframe your daily tasks as supporting that, you can "roll up your sleaves" and do anything. What you perceive as crappy about a job is often perspective…example, I realized recently that a lot of the mundane tasks I don't enjoy doing are things I would have to do anyway if I were running my own website instead of supporting my employer's site. I started to make a list of what I would do with my own site…if only I had time…and how I might eventually translate that into an alternative to my job. There was a lot of overlap.

When you can see your calling, and you can reframe your daily tasks as supporting that, you can "roll up your sleaves" and do anything.

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