Scheduling your Zoom sessions!
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the 2022 Bark Commanders!
For those of you that are new:
If you join Facebook You will find a guide with your name on it (once I see you have joined). Once we talk we will add sections to make it easier for you to keep organized this year. This is where you will upload videos and ask questions specific to you and your dogs.
What is new for everyone:
This year I have changed the Zoom scheduling to try to make it easier for everyone and a lot less work for me. I have upgraded my scheduling system and integrated it with zoom, so you can go to the website “zoom room” to the scheduling link. When you click on that it will allow you to pick you time zone and show you available time slots. Pick your time and it will send you a zoom invitation link. You will get an automated conformation and reminders, you can also reschedule (with a 24hour notice) or cancel your appointment if needed through that system.
If you prefer setting up a reoccurring day/time each month we can do that, but go ahead and schedule your first session if you see one that will work for you as I will get very busy at the start of the academy so this will make it easier for me to get us going without lag time. When we meet you can let me know you want that day/time each month.
I am trying very hard to organize and be more careful about not over scheduling myself this year as I basically worked 12-14 hour days almost every day last year and I am not doing that again. So what I am changing this year to make it still possible for me to be able to hit as many time zones as possible is splitting up the days and weeks in different blocks so I can have a more reasonable schedule. So that means only certain days will have early mornings or late evenings my time.
I still have every intention to work to get you all a schedule that works for your time zones & schedules so please if you look at the schedule and do not see an option that will work for you please let me know and we will sort it out. One request though, please don’t pick the Friday afternoon spots unless that is the only option for you, as this is one of the only options that works for our members who live in Australia who we share the least available daylight hours with.
If you have any issues at all with the scheduling link, please let me know. If we have a meeting scheduled and someone is not logging in I keep open my FB messages and IG messages for people to reach me if they are having trouble getting in. If you have not logged in after 10 minutes I assume you are a no-show and shut the meeting down. Please, please, please message me if you can’t make it so I can open your spot for someone else, or can get other work done. Even if it is just a few minutes notice. I really don’t get mad, I promise. I just want to make sure people are not lost in cyberspace trying to get in and can’t so I do stress trying to find you if you are not logging in. Again you can reschedule with a 24 hour notice. The time is your time so I am never upset if you don’t choose to use it, so don’t feel like you have to show up if you are not up for it, just try and let me know if you can. You cannot rollover or bank sessions, you get to use one a month so if you don’t schedule one that month it is forfeited, so be sure to remind yourself to set something up!
Don’t feel nervous or pressure about the meetings. These are whatever you want them to be! They can be a counseling session, Q & A session, planning session, working session, this is your time to suck the information from my brain. Many use this as a time to talk about the process and answer all the questions that have come up during the month. Some use it as a live training class and come with a few things they want to work on while I watch and give feedback, some have even taken me on walks with them (provided your area has good enough cell service to keep your signal outside- always test run that with a friend or partner first). You can share screen and show me videos you don’t want to put on FB. You can share screen a training plan you have come up with and we can look through it together. It can be whatever you want it to be! The first session will usually be a goal setting and planning meeting for us to talk about what you want out of this year’s program.
Do not stress yourself out trying to do every zoom class and private meetings and FB and all of it to the point you burn yourself out. Pace yourself and try to work within sustainable habits. I can say after doing this now for multiple years the folks who make the most progress and seem to enjoy the program the most are the ones that come to regular live training classes- even if it’s just one a month or folks who pick one or two things and just do that.