Time Management or Ugghh, how am I ever going to cope? Michelle Everson

Basic Messages You are not alone!!! –Issues of time management affect us all: your supervisor is probably having similar worries. Do no feel inadequate or guilty! Time management equals stress management –As an MRes/Mphil/PhD student you are vulnerable: the culmination of my intellectual life syndrome. The solution? My research is an (important) job……

Getting the Job Done! All fancy courses, literature and Birkbeck staff agree: No quick solutions.. Just three golden guidelines: The guidelines: –Prioritise –Use a diary –Combat time wasting!

(1) Prioritise!! What is the job? Finishing my thesis!

Prioritising Rather than… –Doing lots of teaching –Giving loads of conference papers –Being the best networked ever! –Publishing a vast number of articles (though a few do help!)....I need to.. –Clearly identify a series of different tasks –Undertake something towards at least one of these tasks each week –Keep a regular plan and update

But remember… Sometimes your priorities may vary from those of your supervisor: be firm (it is your thesis!), but take advise… The best laid plans of mice and men. Do not get depressed if things go awry. Always have a few mechanical tasks in reserve should all else fail (stress management!)

(2) Use a Diary Allocate a time for all tasks and check them with your supervisor Organise parallel work tasks (empirical tasks together with theory!) Block out good times Treat difficult tasks separately (try to avoid conflation of issues and head whirling)

…The Diary continued… Schedule in meetings and presentations and remember to enjoy them! It is your thesis after all! Schedule in rest days and holidays (you deserve them!) Again: do not panic if all goes awry. Remember those reserve mechanical tasks!

(3) the Washing Windows Syndrome (avoiding time wasting) Known to us all in a variety of forms: – ing –Spring cleaning –Comprehensive new wardrobes –Full blown depression (second year blues) The manifestation of stress….

Avoidance Strategies Technical: –Close the door –Switch off the –Be assertive: I want to be alone! Psychological: break down that door –Remember this is a common thing –Remember your mechanical tasks –Do small things, the big things will follow of their own accord!

In conclusion… This is YOUR thesis Yes, it may be just a job, just one step on a long road… But, it is also uniquely yours… Enjoy it, enjoy the attention you get, feel pride in your achievements!