Time management tips

Time management is one of the most commonly discussed topics amongst academics. Oftentimes it becomes a badge of honour to be seen as the person with the darkest circles around the eyes and the palest complexion that hasn't been exposed to sunlight or fresh air in months if not years. While most of us face times when it might be necessary to work extremely hard for a brief period of time, a longterm lack of work-life balance can become a serious issue, leading to a burnout. It is worth remembering that a couple of hours of work when you are well rested and motivated will result in more progress than a day of frantic efforts to stay awake and focused.

So, lets say that you slept well and you are ready for a good day's work in academia. Where to start? Many people find it useful to divide tasks into 4 quadrants based on urgency and importance (first, important and urgent, important and non-urgent, non-important and urgent, and last, non-important and non-urgent). When you have prioritised your tasks, it is good idea to determine what sort of attention does the task require. Whilst some tasks might benefit from the Pomodoro technique (25 minutes of work + 5 minutes break repeated three or four times in a row), other tasks might be best carried out in uninterrupted blocks of time (2-4 hours) to induce and facilitate a flow state.

That being said, academic work is not valued based on how quickly it was carried out, and just because you force yourself to do more, doesn't mean that it is automatically more valuable. Important things take time. Learning how you work best, will take time as well. To assess your working patterns properly, you need to systematically observe your own behavior over a long period of time. It is possible (and I can help you do it), but it might not be worth the effort.

Oftentimes, the problem is not that we "mismanage" our time, but rather that we feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks in front of us and we are disappointed by the slow pace of our progress. If you are limited by energy, you might benefit from drawing up a more realistic (i.e., extended) work schedule. If you are limited by motivation, you might benefit from including a few fun, meaningful, and inspiring activities after the work hours, and finding an accountability partner or some supportive way of continuously staying on top of your academic progress.

A lot of people avoid meetings and gatherings as they can often be seen as a waste of time and a distraction from the "real" work. But a good peer support network can be an invaluable resource for motivation, accountability, and consequently, productivity. I would encourage everyone to find colleagues with whom you can share your work plans, troubleshoot issues, and learn new skills. Look for reading circles, writing clubs or peer review circles, where people read each others' writing and give feedback. If no such clubs exist in your university you can always start one.

If you are constantly thinking about optimising your time and those thoughts are stressful to you, you might be pushing yourself too hard. It is good to assess your own work habits from time to time and it is possible that there are some apps, tools or methods that would save you a few minutes a day, but the pursuit of this extreme productivity might be an issue in itself. Remember that you are not a machine, but a human being with complex needs and just because you can write a perfect schedule, doesn't mean that your body can commit to it long term.