Time Management & Life Balance

Source: Toolbox Columnist: Dr Dave Filipović-Carter, Added By:

If we're going to look at time management in terms of a research-life balance, then there are two things to get out of the way first:

(a) Let's begin by referring to a 'Life-Research' balance...

(b). And, we need to acknowledge that there is a separation between the two (Jorge
Cham's world-view notwithstanding).

Naturally, a part of this equation has to involve how your time is managed during 'research time', but I'll leave that for another column. My focus here is how you keep research-time to a manageable level, to leave time for other things. And just to clarify, 'other things' doesn't mean catching-up up on reading the latest journals at home! So, what is a manageable level - 35 hours-a-week? 40? You decide. But if it is getting above 40-45 for a normal week, then you might want to ask yourself why...

How you do keep a balance is likely to be very personal - we all have our own needs and ways of working, but here are a few things I've come across researchers doing that seem to have worked for them:

1. Daily Audit: End the working day by making a summary of what has been done (note: 'done', rather than 'achieved'). It allows you to close the day with a sense of having earned a break, and acts as a full-stop to the work itself.


2. Something for tomorrow: A similar end-of-day full-stop is to set a task for the next day. This could be: something to read (print-out left on desk, on top of keyboard, to discourage email-check before reading); something to write (title, and opening line or/& sketch notes already written/typed); an experiment to run (as much set-up already done); or, a conversation to have (if by phone, then phone number and key points listed on a single sheet, etc).


3. Office hours: Having a fixed working day, with regular hours you can stick to. This need not be 9-5, or whatever the standard is in your working environment. But probably should total roughly the same amount. And should almost certainly include a decent lunch-break as well (which doesn't mean the walk to the shop to buy a sandwich that you'll then eat at your desk).


4. Work location: Where do you work? Same place for all tasks - reading, writing, experimenting, discussing..? Wherever you do work, trying to make a physical (and therefore potentially a psychological) divide with where you relax can be crucial. This is true even if you work from home. At the most basic level, have your laptop on a desk to work, and on your lap/dining table to check Facebook, write social emails, etc.


5. Anything here you could use? If not, then what sort of similar structures could you try to achieve the same ends? Because that is all they are - just structures to help you keep a balance in what is an inherently unstructured profession (not a life!) - research.

Tags: Work-life balance

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