{"633691":{"#nid":"633691","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Modern Languages\u0027 Tips for Creating a Great Work-space at Home","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELast week, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E announced that it is closing its campus and converting to a fully remote environment for the rest of the semester. This means teaching all our courses online and advising our master\u0026#39;s students remotely as they work independently on their Final Projects.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents are working on a variety of projects, from documentaries to research papers, from ethnographic research to translation. Right now, they are preparing to defend their projects in a 30-minute presentation at the end of April. A good work-space at home will definitely be important.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo to help them (and myself prepare), I asked some fellow professors to share some strategies for working from home.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E1. Create\u0026nbsp;a designated work area.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026#39;s easy to think you can work anywhere, because technically, you can. Writers are notorious for working everywhere but the office: at home, on a couch, in cafes, in train stations, on trains, or even wandering through the park with a voice recorder.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause writing is so psychological, it\u0026#39;s important to have a space that mentally prepares you for work. Try to find a space that you use exclusively for work, so your mind knows to focus when you sit down. And when you leave the space, you can more easily think about other things (For example, experts advise against working in bed, because it can make it more difficult to fall asleep).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E2. Limited on space? Create mental boundaries.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI don\u0026#39;t have space for a home office in my apartment, so I\u0026#39;m using my dining table. My working setup can be opened and then put away, so I know when I\u0026#39;m working, and when I\u0026#39;m done for the day.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are many ways to get in the mindset. For me, it\u0026#39;s always been putting a cup of coffee or tea to the left of my laptop and having something to write on. For many people, it\u0026#39;s doing their morning routine and getting dressed for work. It could be anything: putting in your headphones, saying a catch-phrase, starting a timer, or opening your project folder. Do whatever works for you!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E3. Plan out a daily routine.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStarting March 30th, you will have classes online. You may also have other responsibilities, depending on your living and family situation. Plan how you will use your time: When will you be in class? When will you do homework? When will you work on your project? Don\u0026#39;t forget to include time to relax and get away from your screen!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENPR suggests: \u0026quot;Get ready for work every morning like you are going to physically go into work. Dress up, do your hair \u0026mdash; whatever you\u0026#39;d normally do. This puts you in a professional mindset....If you\u0026#39;re the type of person who never takes a break at home, set a timer to take time for lunch, and turn off your work....Try to maintain normal work hours, and shut things down when you would normally leave the office.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u0026#39;re working on multiple projects, it helps to work on the same project at the same time every day. For example, if you\u0026#39;re juggling your Prospectus and three other courses, you might want to decide that no matter what else happens, you will work on your Prospectus from 6:00 - 7:00 pm every day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brainpickings.org\/2012\/11\/20\/daily-routines-writers\/\u0022\u003ECheck out the daily routines of 20 famous writers on Brain Pickings.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E4. Make sure you have reliable internet.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith everyone online at the same time, internet speeds could slow down, so make sure you have reliable internet access. Check out\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.service-now.com\/continuity\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;https:\/\/gatech.service-now.com\/continuity\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for IT support through Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E5. Get ready for video conferencing.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYou will probably have meetings and classes via Bluejeans, so take a moment to prep your webcam. You may want to find a private area with a neutral background, where you can have meetings with your professors. Have a good pair of headphones. Test it out with friends to see if there\u0026#39;s background noise. Will it still work if your family member is doing a Skype meeting in the next room?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENote that Bluejeans looks different in the app and browser versions, and in the laptop and tablet versions, so try them out and see which one you prefer. Download Bluejeans here:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bluejeans.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/bluejeans.gatech.edu\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember that Bluejeans Meetings are at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gatech.bluejeans.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Egatech.bluejeans.com\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(reversal of the above URL).\u0026nbsp;Don\u0026#39;t forget to hang up when you\u0026#39;re done!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E6. Set goals, and celebrate your accomplishments!\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA three-month project like your Master\u0026#39;s Project can feel overwhelming. Break it down into \u0026quot;bite-size,\u0026quot; measurable tasks that take 20, 40, 60 minutes to complete.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese might be:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ESearch the internet for articles on X topic and save them to a folder.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ETake notes on a book chapter.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EWrite an analysis of a scene in a film.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EEdit a page you wrote yesterday.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen you\u0026#39;ve finished a task, Reward yourself! Acknowledge and celebrate the moment: take a 5-minute stretch break, have a snack, watch a video of unlikely animal friendships (don\u0026#39;t get sucked in, though; time yourself if you need to).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E7. Aim for 4 productive hours per day.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/modlangs.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/8af23dda-e19a-5930-82e7-c057ef649a38\u0022\u003ELelia Glass, Assistant Professor of Linguistics at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, writes:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u0026quot;Set a timer when you work. Any time you check emails, read Twitter, get coffee, wash your hands, etc, pause the timer. Pause it as often as you want, but keep working until you get to a real hour.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EOnce you reach your goal, relax, knowing you really put in quality time on your work.\u0026nbsp; This is how I wrote my dissertation from a couch in San Francisco over the course of nine months or so.\u0026quot;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Glass says she uses this method to \u0026quot;do about 4-5 hours of writing per day.\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETurns out, the average human brain can only stay deeply focused for a maximum of 4-5 hours per day.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;So if you\u0026#39;ve worked for four hours productively, you\u0026#39;ve done an amazing job!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECreating protected blocks of time, like an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, can help you prioritize your current top project. And remember, once you\u0026#39;ve reached your goal, take a break!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E8. Take Breaks\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJust as important as a designated work area is a designated space for time off. Whether it\u0026#39;s your favorite couch, your bed, or the act of closing your email and washing out your coffee cup, it\u0026#39;s important to step away and give your mind a break. Dr. Glass suggests going for a run, cooking a healthy meal, and video-chatting with family and friends.\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.modlangs.gatech.edu\/blog\/virtualgradschool1\u0022\u003E9. Don\u0026#39;t worry if you\u0026#39;re messy.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe middle of a project is always messy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe live in messy times.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd if all else fails, remember Einstein\u0026#39;s words: \u0026quot;If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?\u0026quot;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESources:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u0026quot;The Daily Routines of 20 Famous Writers,\u0026quot; Brain Pickings,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brainpickings.org\/2012\/11\/20\/daily-routines-writers\/\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.brainpickings.org\/2012\/11\/20\/daily-routines-writers\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u0026quot;8 Tips to make working from home work for you\u0026quot;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/npr.org\/2020\/03\/15\/815549926\/8-tips-to-make-working-from-home-work-for-you\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;npr.org\/2020\/03\/15\/815549926\/8-tips-to-make-working-from-home-work-for-you\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EManaging Large Writing Projects, Inside Higher Ed.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/insidehighered.com\/advice\/2009\/04\/24\/managing-large-writing-projects\u0022\u003Einsidehighered.com\/advice\/2009\/04\/24\/managing-large-writing-projects\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpecial thanks to Lelia Glass and Jinyi Chu for sharing your work-spaces and tips!\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBy \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/modlangs.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/jenny-strakovsky\u0022\u003EJenny Strakovsky, Assistant Director of Graduate Studies\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Modern Language professors advise on how to create a designated work space "}],"uid":"34815","created_gmt":"2020-03-20 13:17:31","changed_gmt":"2020-03-31 22:16:12","author":"esnelling3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"633690":{"id":"633690","type":"image","title":"Modern Languages\u0027 Tips for Creating a Great Work-space at Home","body":null,"created":"1584708918","gmt_created":"2020-03-20 12:55:18","changed":"1584708918","gmt_changed":"2020-03-20 12:55:18","alt":"Alternative workspace","file":{"fid":"241135","name":"Strakovsky2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Strakovsky2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Strakovsky2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":215937,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Strakovsky2.jpg?itok=Z9LinKjd"}}},"media_ids":["633690"],"groups":[{"id":"612000","name":"Atlanta Global Studies Center (AGSC)"},{"id":"611608","name":"Global Media and Cultures (GMC)"},{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1284","name":"School of Modern Languages"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEmily Snelling\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMarketing and Events Coordinator\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["esnelling3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}