I should read this...

Summer is only a month away and our summers are a "different kind of busy", with the significant decrease in daily student interaction but with "other duties as assigned." Of course, the academic year likely has created a rather large "to-do" list, which often includes a stack of books, journals and other publications hiding somewhere in your office, waiting to be read, or at least relocated to a bookcase.

Sometimes the good intention of getting through the "I should read these" pile doesn't always happen. So here is an easy plan to help you make a dent in that stack. You can also use this as an opportunity to assist you in your proposals for the NASPA IV West, the 2012 NASPA annual conference, or other professional association presentation opportunities.

First, go through your pile and remove anything that may not be of interest to you (re-gift those) and place the ones you really want to read on top so you'll get to those first.

Next, start small. Choose ONE article or book chapter to read for the day and try this twice a week. You won't feel rushed and can better focus on what you are reading. Sometimes, there are only one or two articles in a journal or magazine that really interests you, so review the content list and check the abstract if one is provided. Find some quiet time. I find it helpful to turnoff my computer monitor. Over the course of 8 weeks, you will have read at least 16 articles.

Third, you should share what you've learned with others. For example, you can start a reading group to share your thoughts, engage other colleagues, and expose yourself to different interpretations. You can do this in person at your campus or virtually, involving other student affairs professionals in chat rooms, Twitter, etc. Set up a reading list as a Google Docs file or use your campus learning management platform and share. Your reading group should "meet" at least bi-weekly and this group could also review conference proposals before you submit them. The more you share and discuss, the more you will continue to learn.

Seth Matthew Fishman is currently on the job market, recently earning his PhD from The Ohio State University. He was awarded the 2002 NASPA IV-W Kansas Rising Star recipient while a complex director at the University of Kansas. Follow on Twitter @fishmanseth