How to manage your time

1
How to manage your time

• Iftach

2
Why manage time?

• The shortage problem (Economics 101)
• Are these meetings worth my time?

3
The four quadrants
not urgent
urgent
important
II
I
III
IV
unimportant
4
The four quadrants
not urgent
urgent
important

• Lab fire
• Tomorrows grant deadline

• Ongoing experiments
• Prepare for committee mtg
• Next months grant deadline

II
I
III
IV

• Youve got mail
• Ringing phone
• Inquiring colleague

• most e-mail
• most web browsing
• weekend plans of lab members

unimportant
5
If you neglect quadrant II
not urgent
urgent
important
II
I
III
IV
unimportant
6
Four generations of time management

• 1st generation notes ToDo lists
• 2nd generation calendars, appointment books
• 3rd generation setting goals prioritization

7
These mostly prioritize IIII
not urgent
urgent
important
II
I
III
IV
unimportant
How do we know what is important?
8
4th generation
roles
goals
schedule
adapt

• Dont prioritize your schedule Schedule your
  priorities!

9
4th generation
roles
goals
schedule
adapt
self spouse parent PI lab PI- TAU citizen PI
- lecturer social circuit
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Goal types

• Long term goals several years
• Get tenure/professorship
• Intermediate term goals 6 12 months
• Complete a publishable chunk
• Obtain preliminary results
• Put together a new course
• Short term goals 1-4 weeks
• Complete an experiment
• prepare figures for paper

11
4th generation
roles
goals
schedule
adapt
1-2 per week/role
12
The rocks in the jar
The point is unless you put the big rocks in
first, you won't get them in at all.
13
4th generation
roles
goals
schedule
adapt
weekly
14
4th generation
roles
goals
schedule
adapt
daily
15
What about your students?

• Should you define their roles? goals?
• Help them define their tasks?

16
Efficiency / buying time

• Easier to say no when you already said yes
• Disconnect
• Control e-mail
• Close door
• Close lab door
• Know your biological clock
• Make appointments with yourself
• Delegate work (P vs. PC)

17
Resources

• The seven habits of highly effective people
  (Habit 3) Stephen Covey
• Making the Right Moves A practical guide to
  scientific management for postdocs and new
  faculty (BWF/HHMI)