Spacing project completion is a hallmark of successful work.
When I’m managing my work schedule well, projects overlap only as much as necessary. They have a staggered finish date, so that I’m not frantically completing too many projects at once. Sure, there are busier and quieter moments, but if I’m planning carefully, I feel confident in my ability to get everything done.
On the other hand, as I look at my students staggering to finish their winter semester, I see the way that all their responsibilities seem to pile up on top of each other as the semester ends. It’s so challenging for them, and it’s also not a good reflection of the way that their lives will look.
As an educator, I’m endeavoring to be more mindful of the busiest times in my students’ lives, and then to reduce my assignments in those times, as possible. I’m working to help my students find the balance they need as all their classes end simultaneously: to give them a little bit more of a staggered finish.