by Kelly Beischel PhD, RN, CNE

It’s that time of year. Leaves are turning red, the air is crisp, and caramel apples taste so good….. Oh yeah, and students need academic advising as they prepare to register for their spring semester courses.

I don’t know about you but I’ve had many different relationships with advising: love/hate, joy/drudgery, and laughter/tears (these would be my tears from pulling my hair out).

The week(s) of academic advising often leave faculty with very little time outside of teaching and advising. While advising does afford student interactions, time for the very connectedness we want to establish with students, the intensity of lost time can be overwhelming.

Try these 10 tips to calm the chaos of advising:

1. Plan out your week(s).

Sit down with your planner and mindfully plot out your advising schedule.  It is unrealistic to think you can keep the same schedule while adding in numerous hours of advising. Use the “Just Say NO” slogan.

2. Schedule 30 minutes per advisee meeting.

Thirty minutes will allow you time to discuss grades and standardized test scores, coach students on study strategies, conduct transcript audits, assist with scheduling their courses and inquire about their social health as well as write a narration about your time together. When I only allowed for 20 minutes for each student, I felt rushed and subsequently missed important information or stacked their student file to the side to write my narration later only to realize I forgot what the student told me.

3. Send an email to advisees three days prior to advising sign-ups.

The email should inform them to sign-up for advising, outline your expectations for their preparation and prepare them for what you will be doing during your time together. This makes all the difference! Students come prepared with little to no time wasted.

4. Be prepared to send a second reminder.

I admit. I am not a happy camper when students do not sign up for advising in a timely manner. I feel stuck in limbo when this happens. So, I send them a follow-up reminder to sign up for advising. Reminding them that being prompt in signing up for an advising time is considerate and professional which in turn are student attributes you’re asked to address on the references you write for students.

5. Rid your office of chaos.

If you’re like me, your productivity slows to a dribble and you feel out of control when your office and/or office are in disarray. Cleaning your office, giving everything a home, the day or two prior to advising can tame the chaos. I have noticed a marked decrease in my stress level since implementing this habit.

6. Stay carefully attuned to your health.

Eating well, exercising and getting adequate rest will give you more stamina.

7. Use the sign-up sheet.

You don’t have time to breathe. Yet, even students for whom you do not advise also want to meet with you.  I ask these students to use my advising sign-up sheet too. If they can’t find an available time then ask them to schedule a time after advising week.

8. Take a break.

Interestingly, many faculty members are introverts, deriving energy from being alone. I am convinced that advising was created with the extrovert in mind. If you need a break but you’re continually interrupted, put a sign on your door to say you are re-energizing. When was role modeling self-care ever a problem?

9. Solicit home support.

Be sure your family knows its advising week. (Who am I kidding? They know because your stress level has already told them.) Write it on the calendar, plan ahead for tasks that would otherwise take your time and be explicit when soliciting their help.

10. Meet and Connect.

Meet with your students and connect on a deeper level.

What do you do to take the chaos out of academic advising?