What I'm Not Doing

Per my time tracking post, I largely don't dislike how I'm spending my time.  I work on meaningful things.  I spend time with my kids.  I have some 'leisure' time.

The things I'd potentially like to spend less time on are chauffeuring children and email.  The former isn't really changeable and I've already started listening to books on CD as a way of making it more enjoyable and 'useful.'  The latter is a work in progress.  Some concrete actions: (1) I've blocked my work email before 11:00 am and after 4:30 pm.  That doesn't mean I don't check it, but I have to go out of my way to get on a different device or open a different browser; (2) If I see an email thread going I don't respond until I've read the most recent thing...waiting until the end of the day to do this helps; (3) I try to limit email sessions to 20 minutes twice per day (hahahaha.  no seriously.  I'm trying.)  The problem is that "email" stands in for doing things that are actually related to my job, like communicating with other humans about collaborative enterprises.  What I need to get better at: (1) keeping responses short and (2) separating initiating emails from responding emails.  My problems first.  Your problems later.  And even more so (3) reminding myself that some things ARE JUST NOT MY JOB like random requests from strangers.  No. Really.

What I'd like to do more of, which is to say, stuff that needs to be scheduled:  making art; going to the museum; reading, beyond what I'm teaching; yoga.

What I feel I should do more of, or the stuff that causes guilt, anxiety, and bad feelings: various household tasks, esp. yard work; the less central parts of my job; submitting my work.  I am profoundly feeling what Dr. Crazy used to call the "wheel of neglect."  This week was a student week.  Next week is an editing week.  Etc.

I'm thinking of all this as I was asked to serve in another administrative capacity by my chair.  I told her I'd think about it.  Gulp.