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From Busy to Balanced

Erica Hogle MA CAOMS

Short Course Program Coordinator

California School for the Blind

CAOMS 2024

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Why Productivity Needs a Refresh

The Unique Demands of O&M Work
Pitfalls
Balanced Productivity and Well-Being leads to Long -Term Effectiveness in the Field
Goal: Adopt sustainable work practices to enhance effectiveness and prevent burnout

The Unique Demands of O&M Work: variable schedules, high-stakes during lessons and must be focused, need for adaptability, individualized mobility plans, adaptive techniques, working in varied environments

The need for efficiency, resources and energy is especially important in our field

Pitfalls: with all these considerations plus high caseloads, shortage in the field, this leads to overworking then leads to burnout among the field. This means there is a need for better work habits in order to be productive and sane - and set good work/life boundaries

Balanced Productivity and Well-Being leads to Long -Term Effectiveness in the Field: For sake of your own physical and mental health and the impact you leave for your students, this could arguably be one of the most important aspects of your job to consider

Goal: Adopt sustainable work practices to enhance effectiveness and prevent burnout: even if you only get one or two practices out of this presentation, it can make a big difference long term. Minutes lead to hours and hours lead to days. Your time and sanity is very important. More space for more creativity and emotional capacity.

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Creating a Focused Work Environment

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On-the-Go

Focus Mode
Comfortable wear
Take breaks

Turn off notifications

On-the-Go:

Use focus modes on mobile devices to silence notifications during client sessions and planning times.

Simply go into settings and select focus - can choose different setting for different purposes. For example, you only want notifications from certain apps (or only certain notifications from those apps), text or calls from certain people, depending on the activity you’re doing - working, driving, meditating

I’m in a group chat with my college friends, it’s a very important way for me to stay connected to them, however, I’ve never once needed to see a picture of one of their delicious poke bowls immediately

Can even choose a lock screen depending on your focus mode, even your home screen can be customized according to what your focus is - no more instagram showing up when you’re phone is in work mode - lock screen shows what focus mode is turned on
Focus mode and turn on at a certain time or when you’re in a certain location or when you use a certain app
Can turn it on for a certain amount of time, i.e. an hour

Comfortable wear - shoe support (athletic stores can offer good quality shoes - running shoes are designed differently than walking shoes), change of clothes in the car - kids throw up, stuck in rain, you need to be comfortable
Take breaks - a real break, take care of all your distractions, when a distraction comes up you can tell yourself your time to address it will be coming soon

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In the Office

Do not Disturb
Face wall
Ambiance
Comfort
Bookmarks and Shortcuts
Close email

In the Office:

Set physical and digital boundaries to signal focus time; for example, a “do not disturb” indicator during documentation or planning. - same focus mode applies

If you have a shared office space, let your coworkers know that when you have your headphones in, you cannot be disturbed unless it’s urgent - for example

Or maybe it is something you hang in your cubicle like a sign

Face a wall that does not have a window or pictures of your family - you will keep looking at that instead of your screen
Ambiance

Candle or scent that helps you - not to be a distraction, only if it really does help

Hand sanitizer helps me refocus

Playlists that are specific to certain tasks - helps brain associate it

Comfortable setting

Do you need to take your shoes off?
Standing desk
Wobble seat

If it works for our students it could work for us

Bookmarks and shortcuts below the google search

Close email so you don’t see it at all if you’re at your computer

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Benefit

Small distractions impact overall productivity
Do all your preparations before starting your work
Reduced interruptions improves outcomes

Recognize how small distractions impact overall productivity and effectiveness.
Studies show that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain full focus after a distraction, even if the interruption only lasts a few seconds

Do all of your prep in the beginning (clean desk, play music, close apps) all before you start work

And even schedule time to do that
Create a to do list before you start - seems like more time but helps with prioritizing and not waste time with what to do next

Benefit: Reduced interruptions lead to better client focus and more efficient use of documentation time. Otherwise, overtime those distractions are causing mental fatigue and if you’re only allocated a certain amount of time with a student or for your students, you’re doing them and yourself the best service.

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Effective Scheduling

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Structured Time Blocks

Dedicated time for Specific Activities
Have a Back-up Plan
Multitasking
Identify Non-Essential Tasks and Schedule Last

Benefits of structured time blocks

Explain: The concept of setting dedicated blocks for specific activities—sessions with clients, documentation, travel time (be realistic about driving time), and planning.

For example, you schedule a time to only focus on writing an assessment. And during that time you don’t answer emails, take phone calls, etc.

It’s about being present and remaining focus with what you planned to do with each part of your day

As we know, plans change

Have a plan b if a student/client doesn’t show up.
Have a list ready of the most essential, quick tasks that can be done if you find yourself with unexpected extra time

Looking back and forth between tasks means you’re missing information each time

It’s more difficult for your brain to focus on the information it is receiving. Research has shown you end up spending more time on all those tasks than if you planned out when to do what.
If something takes your attention, write it down and save it for after you complete the task at hand

Identify Non-Essential tasks and schedule those last. Avoid getting bogged down by too much paperwork by setting designated “batching” times to process documents and emails, instead of spreading them out throughout the day.

When looking at your schedule, find how much time you need to do the most important tasks for that week
I’m the first to be guilty of checking my email when I find I have 10 minutes, but because I didn’t actually have time to thoughtfully consider and respond to that email, I spend that time all over again when I can actually the chance to answer it

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Benefits

Improves focus
Helps mental preparedness
Ensure time
Prioritizing high-focus tasks
Teach others to respect your time blocks
Less stress

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Client Sessions/Student Lessons

High Priority/Focus Intensive Sessions Earlier and not Back-to-Back
Consider Client/Student needs
Buffer blocks of time
Activities for Students and Teaching Assistants
Voice recordings

Client sessions

Things you already do:: Schedule high-priority or focus-intensive sessions earlier in the day, when energy levels may be higher.

Not scheduling them back to back - schedule a more mellow client in between

You know yourself best but, when possible, this often helps O&Mers recharge before the next intense client/student

Consider the student, not just your energy level but maybe that student/client is more mellow later in the day (balance of both - boundaries theme again)
Schedule students who are located close together as often as possible (another opportunity for a “you-time” buffer)

Might be new: Acknowledge that schedules may change due to client needs or other demands; build in buffer times where possible (breathing room in between - maybe mid-morning and mid-afternoon, could be email time or running over with a student gives you wiggle room). Then, only behind with maybe one or two students instead of it creating a domino effect - have an intention for these times (with non-essential tasks)

Teach warm-up activity to student and teaching assistant so they could get started if you were running late (regarding minutes) - they can build an intersection on a wheatley kit, we are working on this route - have student write the directions, quiz questions that are review in a google doc (i.e. from last week), they can pull it up on a phone, play a recorded lesson, use Be My Eyes for a task, getting cane out of backpack and meet O&M at the office

Buys you time while you sign in at the front desk

After the lesson, make voice recordings (or dictate) your notes after a lesson while you’re walking to the car - can play what to do next with the student the following week after you’ve recorded it

Make the student to make a recording - can also share with the family (time and date stamped about what they worked on and how they did) - this is something else they could do, list to it if you’re running late

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Task Offloading and Team Collaboration

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Streamline Tasks

Administrative Work

Follow-up Emails, create signatures

Streamline Tasks

We get bogged down with so much that can be streamline which means less time on us doing things over and over again unnecessarily.

Which ones can be streamlined

Administrative work, follow-up emails

You’re probably already very familiar with the email signature shown on this slide
Did you know, you can create email signatures of frequently sent email templates

Maybe you find yourself saying the same thing over and over to teacher or a parent, make an email signature

Even if you have to change it, at least you’re only changing a piece of it and searching for an old email or creating another one from scratch
Even having a running google doc of email was still taking more time than just creating a signature

In settings or options, go to signatures and just click “new” and name it

Can do this in gmail too DEMONSTRATE

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Streamline Tasks

Data Entry

Rocketbook

Auto-send to email
Create OCR of notes and reuse

Wipe it with water

Many sizes of notebooks and individual sheets
Create reusable charts and sheets, then use erasable pens for variable data
Beacons on Whiteboard

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Streamline Tasks

Data Entry

Free version

IEP data tracking
Graphs and reports
Progress monitoring assessments
Service time tracking
Scheduling
Collaboration tools

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Delegate

Your students can:

Record a lesson
Teach each other
Assign homework, work on “O&M homework”
Come up with goals
Reflect on what they learned

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Collaborating with Colleagues

Shared documents
Google poll link in email signature
CSB Outreach Support
Family Workshops
Classroom teachers, instructional aides
Take them on lessons
Meetings

Collaborating with Colleagues to offload tasks when managing large caseloads or complex client needs can make a huge impact

Shared documents for clients which allows easy access to notes and updates, i.e. shared google doc = less emailing (with families, older students, and team members - who may want to add something)
Google poll link in email signature - need material for student (i.e. cane), have a question about service, request for meeting, presentation for classroom, etc.

Instead of flooding your inbox you have a place to organize those requests and get a notification when someone fills it out

CSB Outreach for support (AT, Assessment team, Short Courses - will get to later), we are a service for the state - all outreach, not just us
Family workshops - takes time to set up but saves you time in long run and makes lesson more effective (they all know at the same time the information you want to share with them), imagine all your families are on board with what you’re doing and know how to implement at home

You do not have to wait to invite them to a conference.

Taking time to give instruction to/with class, classroom teachers and instructional aides/teaching assistants–again can take time at the beginning of the year but allows you to maximize your impact with this student, peers, and school staff–can reinforce effective information when you are not present

Take them with you on lessons - instruct them to instruct the student

Excessive meetings: (me - create shared documents, meetings that could be an email, creating an agenda, setting an end-time to meetings)

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Saying No

Protect your time
Over-committing without breaks
Benefit

Saying no

When necessary to protect your time
It might be hard at first but it will feel better in the long term, promise

I keep being told this gets easier as you get old and as I approach my next decade (40) I find that to be true
Admins always say it but maybe they’re often not supporting you. In this presentation is how you can support yourself

Over-committing to sessions without breaks: Stress the importance of manageable caseloads and scheduled breaks to avoid exhaustion. May need to advocate that breaks ARE a necessary part of your schedule

Easier said than done right? If you are feeling like you’re stretched too thin, start asking yourself the question of, “is this necessary?”, “can someone else do it?”, “am I really needed here?” “what can I cut out?”

Benefit

Frees up time to focus on direct client engagement and specialized training needs

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Maintaining Work-Life Balance

for O&M Specialists

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Healthy Habits

Regular Breaks and Routines with Downtime
Mindfulness Techniques
Empowerment Exercises
Small Routines
Protect Personal Time

Healthy Habits:

Incorporate regular breaks and create routines that include downtime.

Chance to recharge

Highlight mindfulness techniques (that work with busy, on-the-move schedules)

Grounding exercises 5-4-3-2-1: 5 see, 4 touch, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste - quickly centers you in present moment and helps regain calm and focus
A few minutes of mediation to rest between tasks - insight timer
Box breathing - inhale 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, exhale 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, repeat for a few minutes - regulates nervous system promoting calm and focus (do with audience)
Talk about practical spaces to do this in

Walking around the block, nearby park, if you have a resource room or office do it there before getting a student, your car, maybe a preferred cafe or library

Starting a lesson with a meditation can help the student be present (and agree to stay present) and let everything else go

Personal empowerment exercises to relieve stress (especially after challenging lessons or meetings).

This can be part of the buffer time referred to earlier
Gratitude journal
“Power Walk” moment - while walking to next destination, focus on walking with confidence - head high, shoulders back, steady steps - can repeat strong phase in head like “I can do this”

Incorporate small routines, such as short stretching exercises or mental resets (do with audience - practice what you preach), or short walks between client/student sessions

Can do WITH your lessons

Protect personal time

Tips for leaving work at work: set a daily “shutdown” ritual, like tidying up, signing off from emails, or setting personal boundaries for client communication after hours (google voice).

Protect your privacy (a lot is associated with our personal number, manage your availability, free, different voicemail

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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Using AI

Using it ethically

What is the information going in and going out

Consider the individual student, IEP team, family, your speciality
Intentionality
Examples

There is a way to ethically do it (like Chat GPT, Canva, etc.) in my opinion

No, I did not ask Chat GPT to make this presentation for me

Putting good information in - based on assessments, observations, quality time you spent understanding the student that can be backed up with data
Checking the information coming out - not just copying and pasting what it says
Making it individualized - does this really reflect the student and my role with the student?

Adding your expertise and knowledge of the student/student needs

Questions to ask yourself

Does it address family or IEP team needs
Does it align with goals
Is the information clear to the student
Can you collect meaningful data from the lesson or assessment you used Chat GPT from

Remember it is not perfect or specialized…yet

Be intentional with how you are using it, ask yourself; What are you really using it for? Is it to save busy work or do your job for you?

Example lessons - for ideas, not ot copy and paste the lesson - using it as a template

Social skills lessons
History trivia at the end of a lesson as a reward
Jokes when traveling to a lesson area
Thematic lessons - MLK Day,
Public considerations regarding shopping, safe traveling,
Make rhymes or songs about the lesson you’re wanting to teach
Ask it to give you a route then analyze it with the student together

What is wrong with it, what could change between now and the time you take the route
DO THIS DURING THE CONFERENCE

Daily living skills - cooking, student can ask specific questions about a recipe

Ask Audience what they’ve used it for! General thoughts?

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CSB Resources

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Send students to our programs!
Accommodation for parents
Social skills and opportunity
Confidence and independent

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IEP Service Minutes

Could service minutes be covered by CSB?

Letter for your district in the resources folder (shared at the end of presentation)

Date	VI	O&M	APE	AT
10/7/2024	60	30		60
10/8/2024	60	60		30
10/9/2024	120		45	30
10/10/2024	60	120
10/11/2024	120	30
Totals:	420	240	45	120

Our Short Course Team provides time with Certificated Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS), TSVIs, Adaptive PE Specialists, and Assistive Technology Team Members. Please note that Assistive Technology Specialists at California School are Teachers of the Visually Impaired and not certified Assistive Technology Specialists. When sending students to our Short Courses, the minutes your student is served are often excused as “excused student absent”, but we would like to find ways to work with you and your district to have the service minutes students are receiving count toward their IEP minutes.

Each course will have served minutes calculated, broken down by service for IEP documentation purposes. The minutes served during each attended course are calculated and shared with the TVI for documentation purposes.

For example, a one-week course may include the following service times (in minutes):

It’s worth talking to your district about to find out if it is appropriate for the district and student. You might find something that can be written in the notes section of the IEP or we have text that could be written on the services page, under ALL services the district would like to claim minutes for, in the comments section, you can find text in the resources folder I’ll share at the end

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Learning Lab - not just short courses

Day camps for students
Workshops for families
Professional Development opportunities
Will soon have lesson plans

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Recap

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Implementing These Practices

in an O&M Setting

Recap of Practical Strategies
Final Tips
Creating Habits Takes Time

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Resources

Including this presentation!

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Q&A and Discussion

Contact Information

Erica Hogle: ehogle@csb-cde.ca.gov