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Prioritising, time management and motivation

In this multi-connected world of instant feedback and many demands on our time, this time we are going to have a look at ways that might help you prioritise.

How do you handle many activities at once?

Carsten Pedersen has a no nonsense approach to choosing how you would prioritise your involvement in one of the many projects you are likely to be called to participate. Let’s run with his three key questions:

  1. What is the level of ambition for this project?
  2. Given the level of ambition, how much time and energy can I realistically commit to the project?
  3. Should I terminate some of my other projects in order to participate?

So you might choose to become involved in a limited way, so that you can finish what you have already committed to. Some constant reminders like this might bring further insights, as Carsten Pedersen explores.

What is an efficient way to develop a PhD thesis?

Suggestions from Niamh Brennan, who quite her PhD after 6 weeks and came back to it 10 years later, include these 5 tips:

Start writing on the first day

Find a well-published supervisor

Persist, persist, persist

Choose a research topic that you want to teach and focus in on it early

Above all… enjoy your doctoral studies

After her initial failure, and ultimate success, Niamh has actually written 100 rules for research development. These are so interesting and varied that they get another mention here.