Checking things off the list

There's nothing like checking things off a list to make you want to check more things off. The old saying "if you want something done, ask a busy person" is so true. Productivity begets productivity. (Just ask my motivationless unemployed husband!)

I've been in hyper productivity mode the past couple of days, and man does it feel good. In a matter of 3 hours on Monday I created a week's worth of teaching materials - listening activities, reading questions, a small project about creating timelines including a template...all sorts of stuff! In the same day I pretty much completed my assigned project work (the stuff they gave me to do because one of my courses was canceled) - that is, until they give me more. Check and check.

Aside from my teaching work, I've also been getting stuff done around the office. Yesterday, after activating my account, I contacted the facilities help desk and filed a few "calls". The sink in the lunch room has had problems draining since we arrived, the front magnet-key-activated door hasn't been closing and the paper recycling boxes I placed by the copier a few weeks ago were getting pretty full!

Within an hour of submitting my requests, there were two maintenance men here: one playing with the sink and the other playing with the door. Unfortunately these men are not well trained. They're in way over their heads (especially when it comes to plumbing!), so the sink is still not draining well. But one can hardly blame these guys for being asked to perform tasks they have not been equipped to perform! On a positive note, though, this morning when I came into my office, I noticed that our cardboard boxes no longer had paper in them! I'm assuming it was taken to the recycling location, and not just thrown out. Gonna have to trust on that one! Check, check, check.

Last night we got an email from QNGH about an upcoming event. It's archaeology-related and looks pretty cool. However, the meeting place is 60 km out of town! So after grumbling in my head about how they only cater to those with vehicles, I drafted a proposal for a carpooling coordinator and sent it to the powers that be. This morning a reply came: not only are they going to raise my proposal at their steering meeting tonight, but they also asked for our location to arrange a ride for Darren and me for the upcoming trip! Check.

Today was my day to sleep in and take it easy, really. I didn't get to school until almost 11 am, but I've still had time to catch up on my email, create a ppt presentation about how to convert feet into metres, do all my marking from yesterday's class, revamp a grading rubric, do my photocopying in another part of the building, tweak today's lesson, have a nice lunch with Darren, and write the majority of this post - all before 2:15 when I headed off to class! Check, check, check, check...

I have absolutely no idea where this sudden surge of get-it-done-ed-ness has come from. Maybe it's the cooler weather. Maybe it's the end of term excitement. Maybe it's the greater feeling of comfort and ownership I feel over my new job. Maybe it's the impending end of my *third* decade. Most likely it's just a passing phase.

I really wish I could harness this whatever it is and pull it out when I need it. There are lots of days when I feel like doing nothing. And it's precisely those days that I need some accomplishments in order to spur me on to more accomplishments. Perhaps I should start making the bed in the morning. It's a very easy thing to do and it might make me feel more productive right off the bat.

It will be interesting to see if Darren and I make it to our bank branch across town this evening! Getting a Qatari credit card has been on our TO DO list for FAR, FAR too long! Aparently even surges of productivity have their limitations!