1. Quantified Self Conference 2018
Quantified PhD
Maggie Delano
@maggied
Quantified Self Conference 2018
September 22nd, 2018

2. I did my phd in electrical engineering

3. Strict Workflow Chrome Extension1
How I did it
Pomodoro method: 25 minutes work, 5 minutes break; take 15 minute break after 4th pomodoro, repeat
Talk about why I tracked, and what “counted”
Customized Version of
Strict Workflow Chrome Extension1

4. Strict Workflow Chrome Extension1
How I did it
Talk about why I tracked, and what “counted”
Customized Version of
Strict Workflow Chrome Extension1
Beeminder
Pomodoros Goal

5. Pomodoros by Category
Took 363 pomodoros to write my thesis (4.5 weeks at 40 hrs / week)
Be clear about how much of thesis, thesis is actually a very small fraction
Total pomodoros: 4840 from May 2013 to January 2018

7. Significance between days?

8. Major research deadline Thesis defense Integrated Strict Workflow
and Beeminder
Concussion
(QS15 talk)
Stopped
Tracking
Add annotations about things

9. 4 week sliding average
Mean
Add annotations about things

10. + 2 SD + 1 SD Mean > 2 std: -29.25 pomos, -47%
> 1 std, < 2 std: pomos, -25%
> mean, < 1 std: 4.47 pomos, 15.2%

11. Green: 3+ days safe
Blue: 2 days safe
Orange: 1 days safe
Red: 0 days safe

12. Qualitative Observations
Pomodoros + beeminder = structure + efficiency + accountability
Frequent breaks provide opportunities for insight
It’s hard for me to write efficiently for more than 4-6 pomodoros / day
Certain work lends itself better to pomodoros than others

13. Quantified PhD: 5.5 years 4840 pomodoros $165 in beeminder derailments
PhD: priceless

14. Quantified Self Conference 2018
Quantified PhD
Maggie Delano
@maggied
Quantified Self Conference 2018
September 22nd, 2018