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Let’s get this out in the open once so we don’t have to mention it again and again: We are all busy. We all have too much stuff that we either have to do for ourselves, have to do for someone else or would like to do sometime. The first two categories can be grouped together into a single category we can call, simply, “Shit I Gotta Do.” How do you know if a task or project falls into that category? Because you will hear a derivative of that line in your head. For example, “I gotta do this,” or lines similar to the category name like, “Shit! I gotta do this” or “I gotta do this shit” or the plural form, “I got alotta shit I gotta do.” Frankly, I’m sick of this shit and I want it to be completed as soon as possible because it’s either 1) a necessary step to accomplishing my longer term goals, or 2) I want to get on to the third category of things I’d like to do. Finally, what’s worse than actually doing a lot of this shit, is thinking about the fact that I have to do it, I hate that. I hate that nagging voice in my head that tells me I gotta do shit, but doesn’t offer any useful ideas of how or when I will get it done.
So…
I want to share with you a simple strategy I’ve been trying hard to use for the past few months which is based on the principle that although doing shit can suck, thinking about shit you gotta do sucks more. Though it can apply to anyone, I think this strategy is particularly useful for graduate students because, unlike undergrad and high school, our most important tasks are no longer homework assignments, which are (hopefully) clearly defined tasks with a declared deadline.
Strategy: Make an immediate timeline for the completion of any new item that enters the Shit I Gotta Do category. Immediately. I mean, right now. Write it down.
First, let me make a disclaimer, the idea of making timelines for completion of tasks is not new. A lot of people do this, there is fancy software to do this, etc. The most notable mention of this for me personally is The Reverse Calendar, discussed in Niel Fiore’s The Now Habit (He didn’t pay me, I don’t know him, blah blah blah). The reasons I’m writing this post, though, are: 1. I want to emphasize that a timeline should be made immediately. 2. That it should be made for smaller tasks too, not just when you’re constructing a skyscraper with your company using Microsoft Project and 3. What types of tasks it’s particularly necessary for (hint, tasks without obvious deadlines).
Let’s discuss two specific examples.
The Undefined Deadline Side-Project
Let’s say a professor emails something like this: “Susan, attached are a few papers relevant to your project. This group is working on a similar idea, but with a different technique. I think it may be worthwhile to see if we want to branch in that direction because our technique is more powerful than theirs. I know you are busy, but give the papers and any relevant citations a thorough read when you can and we can discuss what the possibilities are for this side project.”
Note a couple things about this item:
1) It’s a side project. Clearly Susan has a main project that is keeping her busy, she will have to make time for this one.
2) It has an unknown outcome. Potentially this could open up the door to great new results, or it could go nowhere, or anything in between. Right now, neither Susan nor her professor know what will happen.
3) There’s no telling how long it will take. She could spend less than an hour reading the paper and deciding it has little promise, or spend days looking through multiple references chasing a lead.
4) It has no deadline. This is the most important detail. Susan could just keep putting it off forever, and she would never know if there was a great result waiting around the corner.
What is Susan to do? I’ll tell you what, make a timeline. Immediately. These types of items, with: no deadline, an unsure amount of work until completion, an unsure result or value, will likely never get done unless Susan makes a conscious decision about when it she wants it done. She also needs to think honestly about how much work is likely involved. A possible timeline for her (that she would write down in a place she checks often) could be: Completed by next Monday. Read 1st paper Tuesday morning, 2nd and 3rd papers Wed morning. Relevant citations Friday afternoon. Make summary of findings Sunday morning. With this simple timeline, Susan’s nagging voice in her head has no ground to stand on: “Susan, remember that ugly literature task you have to do? Will you ever do it? You don’t have the time. You will never do it like everything else in your life, you loser.” She replies instantly, “Chill, jackass. It’s Friday and I’ve read the 3 papers, I’m reading citations this afternoon, and summarizing on Sunday.” Note that any slacking on the immediacy with which Susan makes her timeline simply gives her nagging voice more credit. It serves her well to make the timeline immediately.
High Importance Projects
On the other side of the coin are the high-importance, often high-stress, main projects in your life. Say you are behind (If you’ve never felt this, you can stop reading this blog altogether, it is of no use to you. Also please email me.), and say you even have an exact deadline (e.g. a conference). What do you do? I’ll tell you what, make a timeline. If, say, the conference is in March and it’s now January, you can go month by month, then plan week by week for the current month. That’s it. And, again, the most important goal is thus achieved: quiet down the annoying unconstructive voice in your head making you worried about the impending conference you have to get ready for.
Such is the usefulness I’ve found in making a timeline immediately upon receiving new tasks. Let me end by listing my top 5 reasons for endorsing immediate timelines.
My List of Top 5 Benefits of the Immediate Timeline
1. It helps prevent procrastination by giving you smaller, more manageable deadlines.
2. It lowers stress by reducing the unknown-ness of the work required to finish.
3. It helps prevent getting to work, not knowing what you are supposed to do that day, and checking email for an hour, which quickly turns into all morning.
4. It prevents the anxiety of last minute work.
5. It makes the quality of your work better.
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