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Developing and Maintaining Productive Professional Timelines: Notes from a Rat Runner. Rick A. Bevins, Ph.D. www.unl.edu/psychoneuropharm /. [email protected]. The Juggling Act. Establishing/maintaining research program Paper work to maintain compliance Prep for classes Teach classes - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Rick A. Bevins, Ph.D.
www.unl.edu/psychoneuropharm/ [email protected]
Developing and Maintaining Productive Professional Timelines:
Notes from a Rat Runner
The Juggling Act
Establishing/maintaining research programPaper work to maintain compliancePrep for classesTeach classesOffice hoursAnswer e-mailsAdvisingMeetingsMentoring studentsTraining personnelWriting paperReviewing manuscriptsService dutiesTravelSubmitting and presenting conference presentationsetc.
Balance all this and complete a major task
Avoid being stretched too thin&
Tackle the Time-sink Monster
Strategies in a University Setting
Pay attention to how you spend your time
Look for efficiencies- e-mail - handle each piece of paper once (applies to e-mail)- layout of office- keep things filed (avoid searching)- apply to home
Develop routines- good for repetitive tasks- consistency (context effects)- encourages organization- also applies to home (Nb. avoid splitting)
Parkinson's Law
"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion“ Cyril Parkinson (1957)
NASA
Strategies in a University Setting
Explicitly set time aside - each day (or at least each week; paragraph per day)- writing, reading, thinking, exercising - this means rewards too
Identify and utilize your peak times- morning person- writing, ignoring e-mails, etc.
Also utilize your trough times- read & answer e-mail- schedule meetings (office hours)
Use idle time- waiting in administrator’s or doctor’s office- smart phones (time sink or not)- 10 min before faculty meeting
Strategies in a University Setting
Other ways to find/protect time- learn to say NO! (gently; use chair or mentor)- triage (recognize & avoid time sinks)- avoid/control interruptions (includes your own)
e.g., twitter, pop-in meetings (stand up, no chair, 5 min)- delegate (be grateful & courteous)- Ignorance can be bliss (website, faxing, populating grant pages)
Getting the tasks accomplished- prioritize- start early (don’t procrastinate)
life rule: “things take longer than they do”- set realistic deadline and keep it- structure to facilitate keeping deadline (ms. reviews)
Strategies in a University Setting
Make use of mentors, colleagues, & friends
Paws to celebrate accomplishments and successes
Chunk large tasks- manageable units (sub-deadlines)- accomplish sequentially- make progress even in trough (forms/cover letter)- least desirable part first (I don’t buy it)
Strategies in a University SettingWork/Life balance