Whether it’s on paper or on a screen, in a diary or an online calendar, don’t forget to write it down!
Trying to keep track of everything in your head is not only inefficient and unreliable, it can also lead to mental overload and unnecessary stress. Not to mention risking forgetting important tasks and appointments, missing crucial deadlines and meetings.
I ran a workshop today on making fellowship funding applications and one of the most important learning points was the importance of getting organised, checking requirements, planning ahead and seeking guidance and feedback from senior colleagues. Funding calls pop up throughout the year, so it’s vital that you record all the key deadlines on a calendar or diary so that they are not missed.
As researchers, working towards a PhD or on limited contracts, time is truly of the essence! Organising and managing the multitude of tasks associated with your research is challenging, and, on top of this, there’s the need to juggle numerous other activities, such as submitting abstracts, reports and papers or booking in time for meetings, conferences and teaching. It’s important not to miss opportunities, such as connecting with an influential professor or employer when you meet them unexpectedly or to capitalise on resources and valuable sources of information.
Writing stuff down is so easy to do, but how many of us either forget to do it or just don’t bother, thinking we’ll be able to remember and recall things at a later time? Here’s some examples of when writing it down can give you an advantage and ensure (or nearly ensure) that you never forget another appointment or a new acquaintance’s name again:
- Make regular ‘To Do’ lists. As someone who hates lists, I still find them very useful when I have loads of things to do. I don’t prioritise my tasks in order, but I may flag the most important ones and cross or tick them off once they’re done (which is quite satisfying).
By the way, if you can’t do linear lists, try mind mapping instead – it looks a bit messy but it can be more appealing to some and it’s also easier to add in extra activities than squeezing them into a list.
- Put every meeting and engagement into a diary or onto a calendar. Even if you’re not sure you’re going to attend, make a note in case you change your mind. Add in other non-work appointments, such as family, social, hobby and voluntary activities, even if it’s ‘go jogging’, ‘do the shopping’ or ‘meet so and so for a coffee’. If you put it in your diary, you won’t double-book yourself or miss out on anything.
- During conferences you get to meet a lot of people and it’s easy to forget who they were and what you talked about. My advice is to take a business card from them if it’s offered (business cards are used at academic conferences more frequently nowadays) and make a short summary on the reverse side to remind you. Alternatively, or in addition, investigate whether the person is on social media (e.g. LinkedIn) and send them a connect request (even during the meeting). It’s a great way to expand your online network.
- You probably have a system for filing and organising references associated with your research, since you’ll need them for when you come to write your thesis or papers. However, when it comes to more informal resources, such as general interest articles, careers information, potential collaborative sources, etc. you may not record, make a note or save them. Or, if you do, it might be haphazard, such that you can’t easily locate them at a later date – if ever again. I speak from experience!
- Finally, going back to my original example, many researchers like the idea of securing their own independent fellowship and funding, which means submitting a research proposal with their application, setting out new and innovative research ideas. Ideas are underrated, especially by those who have them all the time, like a constantly eruputing volcano. Ideas come and go, so it’s important to capture them at the time and make sure they don’t fly away into the ether to be forgotten and lost. Ideas are like gold and should be cherished, especially when they have the potential to form the basis of a new and emerging research area. So, write them down and keep them safe in a notebook so that you can return to them when the time comes.
In conclusion, whether, like me, you like to keep a hardcopy diary and notebooks that you carry around and refer to wherever you go, or whether you prefer an electronic organiser app on your mobile phone, make sure to do it right and write it down 😊