Standing Ovation to ALL Educators Who Have Officially Made It to Teaching From the Screen. Phew. The Fatigue is Real

At 8 p.m., after 12 hours of computer time, three screens, numerous meetings, grading, editing, writing, and submitting, I looked down at the list of what needs to be accomplished next and realized, "I can't do it." My eyes were going wonky, my butt hurt, and I couldn't focus on what needed to be done. To humor myself, I looked up 'Screen Fatigue' and looked at the images on Google. I'd say 99.9% of them depict people looking like me - collapsed at their desk, rubbing their eyes, lying back in their chairs trying to fall asleep, or rubbing their temples.

Sabbatical saved me from a semester of such work, but I am full blast in the summers (unlike many academics)(although most academics were pulled in without breaks last summer as they tried to problem solve the semester ahead). I realized last night, though, that after six weeks of this semester's classes, and ZOOM meeting after ZOOM meeting, that I'm mentally and visually exhausted. Everything I type is a blur, and when I turn from the screen I see stars, flashing lights, and floaters. 

It's too much. 

I realize, too, that when I need to take a break from one thing, the alternative is another on-screen activity. There's are no breaks, so when I need to put attention on student work, feedback, and mentoring, all the words become smudge lit upon a foggy screen.

Perhaps future renditions of our species will have more coping skills (and we'll evolve to look exactly like ET, with huge eyes, small ears, and long, probing fingers), but this version of myself isn't ready for that.

It's too much. 

And there's no escape, especially with all that lies again. I love what I do (passionately), but my synapses are frying quickly. We have ten more weeks, too. Go, go, Go.

It's too much. 

TGIF. 

Fried-Day...and so much still to do today, tomorrow, Sunday, and onward.