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Managing Your Time for Productivity and Happiness

 

  • Set up a peer support group with other junior faculty (and organize informal gatherings as well as gatherings focusing on specific topics).
  • Cultivate relationships with informal mentors among the senior faculty. Also consider mentors from outside your institution.
  • Treat all administrative members and staff respectfully.
  • Be strategic about your research goals, not spreading yourself too thin.
  • Learn to say “no” in order to avoid overextending yourself (for example, reviewing papers and grants only in your field). A good option is to recommend a colleague or trainee that could use the opportunity.
  • Make sure to reserve time for things that are urgent and things that are important but not urgent (can be postponed, if needed).
  • Make a plan with month-to-month milestones on your calendar (timebox, which means protecting time for an activity, but no more, which increases productivity.)
  • If possible, make sure to consider whether some of your commitments can double as useful topics for lab meetings, or training opportunities for postdocs.
  • Keep in mind that some opportunities may increase your exposure in the community, increasing your reputation as a scientist.
  • Make sure to appropriately credit your lab members for their discoveries in talks and on social media.
  • Finally, keep time for family and friends, and doing other things you enjoy.