Halfway.  Wow.  Absolutely incredible how quickly time is flying.  Anyway, as to the question, I must agree with one part of Jackie's answer; how the only thing that truly matters is that I've done my best work.  People will remember me for what I've done, and how I've worked.  More importantly, however, I will remember only how close to 100% I gave my work.  Remembering yourself in a positive light is sometimes more difficult than getting others to remember you in kind.  Basically, I would prefer to be remembered for being reliable and hardworking by everyone here, but more than that, I want to know that I have done the best I could.

Couldn't agree more with what Jackie and Grey said. I feel the same way. The shorter I am here, the more I want to be marked as a real hard-working and responsible employee. There is no doubt that we all will walk out from here with big bullet points on the resume. However, it is about what those points mean to us, what they mean to SHM. It is not about I said I did something, but how I did it: how I correct my mistakes, how I keep trying to make things right, and how I learn and achieve a better solution. More importantly, that is how I learn to be outside of the selfishness and ignorance. In school, you would screw up yourself if you don't study. At work, every action of yours would affect other people. So that I learn to open my eyes and think twice for what I am doing and will be doing. Besides working, I think people would remember me as a quiet MA. I'm not good at making people laugh, but I like being a listener who laugh for others' all kind of stories. Yes, that's me.

--TN

When my time here at SHM ends I hope to leave a good impression. I hope that people can look back and say that I was a hard worker who they knew they could count on and trust to get the work they asked me to do done. I agree with Greg that being reliable is something very important and that if people can look back and think I was a reliable person then that would mean a great deal to me. I also would like to leave people with the lasting impression of friendliness. I want them to feel as if I was easy to talk to and yet still fun to goof around with (but obviously at the same time still get my work done). Overall I want to make the most of this experience here at SHM and if I do so I hope these are the impressions I leave with the people whom I got to work and interact with.

When I leave SHM, which sadly will be too soon, I want the staff here to remember me as someone they felt was a real contributor and someone they could count on. I want people to be able to look back and say that they knew not only that they could trust me to do what I needed to do, but also believe that I could be a resource to them when they needed one. Being a reliable person, in my opinion, is one of the most important qualities to possess. Being able to look back and see someone in your past as a help to you makes you appreciate them and remember them fondly. I hope that I am lucky enough to leave SHM with that final impression.

"I Was Here"

I cannot believe we are half-way done our co-op. It has gone by so quickly and has been such a great experience so far! I remember last year I couldn’t wait to get back into classes and now I am dreading the thought of being in a classroom.

When I read what our question was for this week the first thing that came to mind was the song “I Was Here” by Beyoncé. I seem to always find a way to relate everything to Beyoncé. Anyway, this may be a typical response, but I want to be remembered as being hard working and trying my best. My mom always told me that as long as you tried your best and gave your all it doesn’t matter what the outcome is.

I think that since I have been here I have tried my best in all of the projects and tasks that have been assigned to me. I am not the type of person who likes to give up on problems. I will work on something until I figure out the solution and I think that I have done that while working here at SHM. And that’s what I want to be remembered for. So as Beyoncé says “I gave my all, did my best”

Do you realize your co-ops are half-way over?! It's truly unbelievable how quickly time flies. That being said, here is your question for the week:

How do you want to be remembered by everyone here? What do you want to be your "mark?" What are you going to do (or what have you been doing) to ensure you meet that goal?

I think it's acutally a little easier to focus with the office so quiet on Fridays. I try to stay focused by listening to music or the radio on my phone. I also like to read on my lunch break to get away from work and take my mind somewhere different. I'm just like Ashley in that the hardest part of my day is after lunch, so I try to get most of my work done as early as I can. Walking around and moving is also something I do to try to stay focused. The one thing I try hardest to avoid is watching the clock. If I'm constantly looking at what time it is and counting down to when I can leave, I'm totally unproductive and unfocused.

Focus has always been a real big issue for me.  It being summer really doesn't change much.  Fall or Spring, however, do tend to mess with me a bit.  Regardless, I've always found that the best way to keep focused is music.  It keeps my mind working, and prevents it from wandering.  Other than that, a short break to walk around the office, or catch up on some news online keeps the work fatigue away.

I agree it is very hard to stay focused in the summertime while at work. What helps me is to try and get as much work done as I can in the morning before lunch. That is when I feel I am most productive. Then I make sure I unwind during my lunch break. After lunch however is the hardest part of the day for me. I have found recently that plugging my headphones into my ipod and listening to music in the afternoon has been really helpful in keeping me focused. I also make sure I pack an afternoon snack which gives me a little energy boost during the afternoon when I start to get a little drowsy.

Summertime

Thinking about having some quite time to do your work without any distractions is already a way to go to enjoy the summer at work. I also listen to music, so that the quiteness does not freak me out. I also liked Jackie's idea of getting outside to enjoy the sun during lunch. Literally I went to the park with Jackie once and we had a pretty good time, and of course we plan doing this more often. Feel free to join everyone !

It is definitely hard to stay productive in the office during the summertime. I think for me what I try and do is to make sure I get outside during my lunch break. Occasionally I will meet some of my friends that work in the city in Love Park to eat lunch. It’s nice to get some fresh air and get out of the office for a little to refocus. I also think it’s a good idea to get some exercise in because for me that helps me stay awake and energized so I can complete my projects for the day.

It's summertime. It's hot out, people are taking vacations left & right, every Friday is quieter than usual. 

How do you stay productive in the office in the summertime?