Formal Education, Regardless of Pain
For one reason or another, many folks find the need and/or the desire to return to school. It may be that physical challenges and life events or disabilities require them to rethink and adjust their career. Maybe life has taken them down a path of reflection and the need and desire to grow in certain areas of life lead them to further education. Work and professional credential renewals may also mandate it.
A course or two or an advanced degree in a person's life is seldom met with isolation. More often than not these people already have busy lives and full platters and school becomes yet another item to juggle.
If you are a person who is juggling life, work, and school, I applaud you. If you are challenged by pain and physical limitations as well, I am inspired by you. And I thank your families for any support they offer you as you work your way down your life path and master your educational pursuits.
I started my summer semester toward my Ph.D. this weekend. It is the first time I am taking three online courses simultaneously. Some may think it foolish. And it may in fact prove to be more than I can bear right now, but I have my reasons and I pray I am able to meet my goal to complete them all successfully at the end of 10 weeks.
At this moment, I am faced with the reality that the time has come and responsibilities are now. I was initially filled with panic as to how I would manage on top of all of the challenges that I am personally facing and the sleepless nights of pain and worry. For a moment at least, the mountain seemed insurmountable at best. But this is not the time to belly up...
After a good look, a deep breath, and a reminder that I am not alone, I began to look at the big picture and break it down into manageable pieces. One thing I knew for sure - I needed to get organized. So I took the time to look at each course: assignments, special activities, projects, other requirements, etc. And I noted the due dates for these items on a calendar.
Once I noted the major features and requirements of each course, I took time to specifically review those assignments due this week. And I made copies of those things. I created folders for each course and I entered the information into each one. On the fronts of the folders I noted specific components: texts, journals, posting requirements and project descriptions for quick reference.
Next I noted all non-school responsibilities and events on the same calendar. For all entries I placed a tentative time frame so I could get an idea how everything was fitting together.
Probably one of the most important things for people with pain and limitations like myself, I made time for rest periods, noted usual times of heightened pain and discomfort and I made space for flexibility in my busy calendar. I noted the word "negotiable" next to these because they may change. I want to feel I can adjust my routine to accommodate them as needed. For people with pain and discomforts, handling busy schedules requires us to be sensitive to our personal needs and limitations as well as our strengths and ambitions.
I also printed out one last item before retiring last evening - the time line and deadlines for making enrollment adjustments. This is the first time I have ever attempted 3 courses simultaneously and it may prove to be too much for me. And that is okay. I won't know unless I try however, and I am willing to give it my best.
The one good thing for me is the fact these are online courses so I can take them from home. This helps a lot. I opted for this type of learning for a number of reasons. I can continue to work and go to school. I can work on my homework sitting in a recliner or laying in bed when I can't sleep at night if necessary, etc. I can use my heating pad whenever I want. The flexibility is of great importance and a necessity.
Get the most out of the technology you use. My computer has the capability of voice recognition and I am setting that up. I have neurological deficits in my arms making typing almost impossible at times. During those times, I will consider the voice recognition capabilities of my laptop to keep on keeping on if necessary. The investment in software to make learning easier is well worth it if a person plans to complete a degree online.
And don't forget ergonomics, especially for the person with pain syndromes and physical limitations. Be sure your study area is comfortable and accommodating. If you are most comfortable working with a laptop on a sofa or in a recliner with legs elevated, then consider doing so for brief periods. But make sure to stop, get up and move around periodically and stretch. If you tire, leave school work alone for a little while and go back to it later when you are refreshed. You will accomplish more in less time. Try to keep balance. Your school work is only part of your daily routine. Don't neglect other responsibilities to family, work, and community.
So if you have had a desire to explore the path of continuing education, don't let your limitations stop you from doing so. The key is to be flexible and organized with your time and energy. Don't allow yourself to over-tire or get so over-stressed you begin to feel ill. Be conservative at first. Try one course and see how it goes. Later on, you may desire to test your limits. And be forgiving if you find that you may have to step back and re-evaluate your plans and time lines. It is okay to do so. It is not a sign of failure by any means.
How many of you out there are online students or busy adults juggling with school on top of everything else in life? Let me hear from you! What have you done to make this workable for you? What advice can you share with others who need to forge on in the wake of other life challenges? Create a post with "School Challenges" in the title on either my Pain Management or Migraine message board and together let's forge on! I look forward to hearing from you!
~Indie
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: chronic pain, education, organization, ergonomics, pain management
A course or two or an advanced degree in a person's life is seldom met with isolation. More often than not these people already have busy lives and full platters and school becomes yet another item to juggle.
If you are a person who is juggling life, work, and school, I applaud you. If you are challenged by pain and physical limitations as well, I am inspired by you. And I thank your families for any support they offer you as you work your way down your life path and master your educational pursuits.
I started my summer semester toward my Ph.D. this weekend. It is the first time I am taking three online courses simultaneously. Some may think it foolish. And it may in fact prove to be more than I can bear right now, but I have my reasons and I pray I am able to meet my goal to complete them all successfully at the end of 10 weeks.
At this moment, I am faced with the reality that the time has come and responsibilities are now. I was initially filled with panic as to how I would manage on top of all of the challenges that I am personally facing and the sleepless nights of pain and worry. For a moment at least, the mountain seemed insurmountable at best. But this is not the time to belly up...
After a good look, a deep breath, and a reminder that I am not alone, I began to look at the big picture and break it down into manageable pieces. One thing I knew for sure - I needed to get organized. So I took the time to look at each course: assignments, special activities, projects, other requirements, etc. And I noted the due dates for these items on a calendar.
Once I noted the major features and requirements of each course, I took time to specifically review those assignments due this week. And I made copies of those things. I created folders for each course and I entered the information into each one. On the fronts of the folders I noted specific components: texts, journals, posting requirements and project descriptions for quick reference.
Next I noted all non-school responsibilities and events on the same calendar. For all entries I placed a tentative time frame so I could get an idea how everything was fitting together.
Probably one of the most important things for people with pain and limitations like myself, I made time for rest periods, noted usual times of heightened pain and discomfort and I made space for flexibility in my busy calendar. I noted the word "negotiable" next to these because they may change. I want to feel I can adjust my routine to accommodate them as needed. For people with pain and discomforts, handling busy schedules requires us to be sensitive to our personal needs and limitations as well as our strengths and ambitions.
I also printed out one last item before retiring last evening - the time line and deadlines for making enrollment adjustments. This is the first time I have ever attempted 3 courses simultaneously and it may prove to be too much for me. And that is okay. I won't know unless I try however, and I am willing to give it my best.
The one good thing for me is the fact these are online courses so I can take them from home. This helps a lot. I opted for this type of learning for a number of reasons. I can continue to work and go to school. I can work on my homework sitting in a recliner or laying in bed when I can't sleep at night if necessary, etc. I can use my heating pad whenever I want. The flexibility is of great importance and a necessity.
Get the most out of the technology you use. My computer has the capability of voice recognition and I am setting that up. I have neurological deficits in my arms making typing almost impossible at times. During those times, I will consider the voice recognition capabilities of my laptop to keep on keeping on if necessary. The investment in software to make learning easier is well worth it if a person plans to complete a degree online.
And don't forget ergonomics, especially for the person with pain syndromes and physical limitations. Be sure your study area is comfortable and accommodating. If you are most comfortable working with a laptop on a sofa or in a recliner with legs elevated, then consider doing so for brief periods. But make sure to stop, get up and move around periodically and stretch. If you tire, leave school work alone for a little while and go back to it later when you are refreshed. You will accomplish more in less time. Try to keep balance. Your school work is only part of your daily routine. Don't neglect other responsibilities to family, work, and community.
So if you have had a desire to explore the path of continuing education, don't let your limitations stop you from doing so. The key is to be flexible and organized with your time and energy. Don't allow yourself to over-tire or get so over-stressed you begin to feel ill. Be conservative at first. Try one course and see how it goes. Later on, you may desire to test your limits. And be forgiving if you find that you may have to step back and re-evaluate your plans and time lines. It is okay to do so. It is not a sign of failure by any means.
How many of you out there are online students or busy adults juggling with school on top of everything else in life? Let me hear from you! What have you done to make this workable for you? What advice can you share with others who need to forge on in the wake of other life challenges? Create a post with "School Challenges" in the title on either my Pain Management or Migraine message board and together let's forge on! I look forward to hearing from you!
~Indie
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: chronic pain, education, organization, ergonomics, pain management
Labels: Education
3 Comments:
I too have gone back to school and am juggling school with work with children and other things. The way that I keep partial sanity is by making lists and trying to be as organized as possible. I am taking 2 summer courses now and the semesters are only 6 weeks. At the beginning of the semester I make a list of what is due and when and one by one as I complete assignments I cross things off. This helps me because I know that I have completed an assignment, and also I see the list shrinking as the weeks go by, which helps me to realize that I don't have much longer to go. My children understand that sometimes Mom needs to study and they give the space to do so. When I don't have school work to do I make sure to give them extra time doing something that they want to do. It's not easy, but organization makes it much easier.
Congratulations on your accomplishments!! Indie
Hi Indie,
I'm a grad student getting my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in addition to working 20 hours a week. I'm also a chronic pain sufferer (and have had to make it through 3 back surgeries while I've been it grad school). You are completely right - it is not easy. I'm working with psychologists and even THEY don't always understand why I can't get them a paper on time or why it is hard for me to sit through a three hour lecture. I've found that you just really have to learn to live with the fact that you can't do everything and to learn how to maximize those "good days" to help you get things done. One thing that I've learned that I have to do is take the weekends completely off. I don't do work (unless I'm really running up against a deadline), I try to get lots of rest, and I don't spend a lot of time on my computer (or really anything that requires me to sit for long periods of time). By the end of the week, I'm exhausted and my body needs a few days to recharge for the upcoming week. The second thing I've learned is to stop trying to keep up with everyone else. The truth is I'm not like everyone else b/c of my health problems, and so I need to go it at my own pace. Its been really hard for me to accept the fact that sometimes I need to take fewer classes or that I can't get my research done as quickly as others, but I've learned that I have to do what's best for me and my health. Other random tips: 1)Invest in a laptop and nice desk chair (your body will thank you) 2) Find a pain management doctor who understands that your pain management needs are different than someone who is on disability. You need to have you pain aggressively managed so that you can make it through the day, but you also need to be able to be cognitively with it enough to focus on school. 3) Communicate with your professors. They can't help you if they don't what you are dealing with. 4) Re-think your expectations. Do you really HAVE to do everything, or do you just feel like you should? It sometimes helps me to ask myself - if I can't get this turned in today, what's the worst that will happen? The reality is almost never as bad as you think it will be!
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