An Investment for the Future
Over my lifetime, I can chart on my shelf the books that have given me inspiration, companionship and even healing. In years past, reading for me has been a refuge. As an adult I have discovered that I also enjoy writing, especially the process of editing. I find it immensely satisfying develop a text into the most effective transfer of ideas as well as finding just the right wording to creatively get my thoughts across. In the past, in college or in church, I used to take notes to record what I was learning in classes and sermons and would create elaborate drawings to highlight the key points and takeaways- a practice that has fallen by the wayside as I have moved more to transactional note taking. I value words, and these verbally-oriented arts of reading, note taking and writing are areas in which I have some ability.
Today, though, as a rigorous work life has become my reality, I find that my work in these areas are often reactionary and primarily focused on the tasks that I must not forget to complete. When I sit to read a journal article or one of the hundreds of work-related emails that I receive in a week, my mind is always fast forwarding and filtering to identify the task that I need to remember to do. The reflective reading, note taking and writing of earlier years feels today to be an unaffordable luxury. What I am trying to say here is that I am reading to get through the day. Not to reflect, collect and build ideas or theories.
As I think about the assigned questions for this week, I am realizing that the reading, writing and note taking that I have been doing over the last several years have been less about the creative process and more of a transactional function. While I enjoy the above activities, I find that I am doing them as a course of my job, which has forced them into a task to be completed rather than an investment in discovery. This shift has made all of these tasks hectic and disorganized – frankly, less fun; the opposite what these activities have provided in the past.
The assigned reading this week has challenged me to think of these processes of reading, note taking and writing as a long-term investment rather than the urgent response to daily demands. I have had a sense in the past few months that the topic of the Problem I am defining in my NPO is one of importance, and so, the assigned reading from this week has resonated with me in its targeting the intention I am to use in my studies over the upcoming years. I am excited to develop the skills of capturing and tagging my notes as a system of reference for future synergies as I learn to be a learner.
As we are moving into this new year, I appreciate the challenge to approach my upcoming studies with both intention and organization. I am excited to create the space to have this time for intentional learning.
About the Author
Jennifer Vernam
4 responses to “An Investment for the Future”
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Ms. Jennifer,
Basically, that is what I am doing, “reading to get through the day.” And I like what you say about “making space.” I believe I could do that to help me enjoy my readings and efficiently obtain and digest the information read.
Jennifer,
I resonate with your thoughts here, especially your comment about the daily use of our reading, writing, and note taking becoming, “the urgent responses to daily demands.” Being intentional is a good focus for us as we move through this program. I chose to get back to journaling over the break to help me slow down and reflect a bit more instead of just writing lists, case notes, and answering emails. I think I need to do something like that so my academic reading and writing don’t take over and I lose that reflective piece. It sounds like you had a creative and artistic way of taking notes in college. How did drawing help you in the past? Is that something you want to do again?
Thank you for writing, Jennifer. You have mentioned: The assigned reading this week has challenged me to think of these processes of reading, note taking and writing as a long-term investment rather than the urgent response to daily demands.
I resonate with your idea about long-term investment in reading, note-taking, and writing. It makes me believe that the process during the semester and the whole of this program will shape us to think critically and constructively regarding our NPO context.
Well-written. The transactional function can often negate the creative processes which cause discovery to flourish. You mentioned that you plan to approach your upcoming studies with both organization and intention. I so resonate with those intentions. What is one thing you are implementing to move forward in each?