The way to boost your PhD productivity?
๐. ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฒ: Social media is not controllable. As we scroll, we see content irrespective of whether or not we really want to see it. Some of the content deeply impacts us such as a horrible incident or something bad happened to a loved one. If it happens, you might not be productive for the rest of the day. So, better avoid it in the first half.
๐. ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ:ย Our mind does not work to its maximum potential all the time. However, it does work in a focused way for 3-4 hours. Make sure to work with full focus for at least 4 hours a day. Get yourself disconnected from mobile phones, emails, etc, and work on the most challenging task. It shouldnโt be 4 consecutive hours, though.
๐. ๐๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฒ: Not all PhD tasks require equal focus. For example, replying to some emails, marking student submissions, and voluntary tasks for a conference do not require too much mental focus. Work on them at times when you are not too productive.
Do you want to have a CV that can get you a PhD position?
๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ:ย Procrastinating PhD tasks is quite common. Donโt procrastinate. Follow the 5-second rule. If you donโt jump towards the task in the first 5 sec, your brain starts pushing you away from it. Everything is difficult before you do it, just do it.
๐. ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐จ๐ซ๐จ: It helps especially during paper writing. Some students follow this technique and have shown good results. Set a timer to 25 mins and solely focus on writing during these 25 mins. Once the timer hits, take a 5 min break and come back again.
๐. ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฌ: As a PhD student, you should be eager for ideas. These ideas you can take from many places โ meetings, conferences, and your own thoughts. Donโt let them fly away. You can easily take notes even on your mobile phone. Take notes and reflect on them later.
๐. ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ: Replying to an email, passing your paper through Grammarly, and sending a group meeting agenda are shorter tasks. These tasks take 5-10 min. However, when you are on the way back ending your day, you will feel like you have done several tasks โ a feeling of accomplishment for the day.
๐. ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ: Some activities, people, and content around you can be toxic. A 5-sec toxic engagement can ruin your day. It can demotivate you and keeps you unproductive for the whole day. Identify these and keep yourself away.
PhD students โ Do this and 90% of your PhD problems will disappear.
๐. ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ: Being worried is something not unusual for PhD students. However, being worried doesnโt solve any problems but the right actions do. For the right actions, you first need to get yourself out of the worry bubble. Taking PhD worries out of your head will double your productivity.
Writer: Faheem Ullah
Assistant Professor
Computer Science, Australia
ย