Biggest Challenges for an Associate Professor of Special Education at Ohio State
Carly's biggest challenge as an Associate Professor is the inherent self-motivation required; the flexibility, while beneficial, necessitates "very intentional" boundary-setting to avoid the trap of always working and to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Self-Motivation, Time Management, Boundary Setting, Work-Life Balance, Higher Education
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
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Traits
Carly Blustein Gilson
Associate Professor of Special Education
The Ohio State University
University of Florida, 2010
Boston College, M.Ed. in Secondary English Education (g. 2011); Vanderbilt University, Ph.D. in Special Education (g. 2017)
Creative Writing, Journalism
Education
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. The biggest challenge is self-motivation and self-discipline, as there isn't direct supervision to ensure daily work presence.
2. The flexibility of the role, while a benefit, presents a challenge in setting boundaries between work and personal life.
3. Intentionally setting boundaries is crucial to manage workload and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Building a schedule similar to a typical workday is recommended.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
The biggest challenge is that you do have to be very self-motivated and self-driven. Unlike some jobs, I don't have someone who is checking to make sure I'm at the office every day at nine o'clock.
While that's a benefit of flexibility, it also presents a challenge. There's this notion that you always can be working since the hours are not predetermined.
It can be really hard. You have to set boundaries for yourself and your family to make time. I try to build my schedule as much like a typical workday as possible.
However, the challenge is that you have to be very intentional about setting those boundaries.