Category Archives: pandemic

ruthlessly realistic with annual plans

Posted on October 4, 2021 by pat thomson

Ah, another new academic year. Time to make plans. Take stock. Write goals. Start filling up the diary. Given the disruption we’ve experienced over the last eighteen months, it’s really tempting to think that it’ll be possible to get back … Continue reading →

Posted in pandemic, planning, time | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

missing working at work?

Posted on September 6, 2021 by pat thomson

Eighteen months of working from home. Or WFH, WTF!! as you will now hear me say. Often. I want to WAW (work at work). I’m not desperate about it yet, but I really do miss WAW. Pre pandemic, a whole … Continue reading →

Posted in office, pandemic, place, time | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2020 reflection – on book writing during the pandemic

Posted on December 21, 2020 by pat thomson

I’m not stopping my blog over the festive season. I’m changing tack, just a bit. I’m going to write a couple or three posts which reflect on what I’ve done this year. In 2020 I published two books. One was … Continue reading →

Posted in book writing, pandemic, publishing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

groundhog day in bookland

Posted on June 22, 2020 by pat thomson

The lockdown has disrupted our lives in ways we couldn’t have anticipated. Some changes are big. Some little. One of the little things that has affected me is to do with book publication. You may have noticed that many academic book … Continue reading →

Posted in academic book, academic writing, book writing, pandemic, revision | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

learning from live pandemic research

Posted on June 8, 2020 by pat thomson

I haven’t taught research methods for a year or so. But right now I do wish I still was. I’m not asking for additional workload. Not at all. It’s just that there is so much potential for learning in the … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, epistemology, mess, methodology, methods, ontology, pandemic, research methods | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

lockdown diary

Posted on May 18, 2020 by pat thomson

I’ve been in lockdown with my partner for two months now. I have hardly left the house, apart from the occasional walk. Well I have been outside, of course, but in our small backyard and not proper outside outside, if … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, emotional labour, lockdown, pandemic, productivity | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

gulp – deadlines despite lockdown

Posted on May 11, 2020 by pat thomson

Be kind to others and to yourself. Do what you can do. Make small daily goals. Be realistic. Celebrate every victory.  Don’t be hard on yourself. These are extraordinary times. These are the messages that I and a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, deadline, list, pandemic, to do list | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

progress

Posted on May 4, 2020 by pat thomson

Progress – getting somewhere. Good progress – doing what is expected and a bit more. Poor progress – the reverse. Remember those ambiguous school reports? “Patricia is making good progress with… , but she could do better in … ” Patricia … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, pandemic, progress | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

getting by and getting on

Posted on April 6, 2020 by pat thomson

I’ve spent a lot of time online shopping these last two weeks. Shopping for food. Before we went to Australia we’d let the store cupboard run down as we didn’t want to come home to rats, mice or moths. When … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, pandemic | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Pandemics and PHDs

Posted on March 16, 2020 by pat thomson

The pandemic is upon us. My university is moving rapidly online with everyone who can working at home. I’ve seen a lot on social media about how to teach online, whether to teach on line, and how to offer students … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, pandemic, stress | Tagged , | 19 Comments