Worked only 1 hour today.
Try to squeeze in as much work as possible and as early as possible. Work for longer stretches.
Try to squeeze in as much work as possible and as early as possible. Work for longer stretches.
Showing posts with label rules for work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rules for work. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
PhD Work
I have a friend who is about to give up on his phd.
His main problem is that he has wasted a lot of time, has been less organized, and failed to get in the required number of hours in everyday.
He has been having trouble reading and understanding papers.
As I look to him, I fear that this might be a problem facing almost every Phd candidate simply because the type of work done in a PhD degree is totally different from the type of work required for any other job.
The differences in PhD work versus other Jobs/degrees
1) No boss and no proper guidance, no one tell you what to do. For some lucky students, this may not be the case.
2) Lots of unstructured time. There is no start and end time for PhD research, you could be working in the day or at night, the work hours are simply too flexible. This flexibility allows PhD students to procrastinate. The thinking everyday becomes that if I don't work in the morning, then i'll cover up for it in the night. For most students the most productive time then becomes 2-4 am which really isn't the best time for work. This would eventually trouble you mentally and there is high probability for crashing and burning
3) Most of the work is not repetitive and requires a lot of thinking. Course work is too an extent repetitive, same theory but different problems but the application is too quite an extent repetitive. The amount of time actually learning something is actually very little, most of it is repetition. Jobs are even more repetitious and new learning is sparse. Doing repetitious work and thinking are different types of work which should be handled differently. You simply cannot read equations and expect your brain to understand these equations if your brain is tired. Hence keep your brain fresh and if it tires then do not proceed until you somehow make it fresh again.
4) Another problem with PhD work is that it is a lonely undertaking, you are the only one traveling the road. You will meet people who have similar research topics as you but yours would be unique. Try and go to conferences and give talks. This would help.
5) If your supervisor is unresponsive, has no time, cannot guide you, then don't just sit on your ass, this must be an excellent learning opportunity and become active and systematic.
6) Organization and learning is important. Learn as much as possible. The race should be implement and learn. You cannot just skim through research papers and expect to come up with excellent stuff or implementations. Implement stuff but make sure that what you are implementing is well researched and rigorous, without rigor it wouldn't have much meaning.
7) Get up as early as possible, mornings are the best for work, evenings are for resting and hanging out with people. Try and get in the lab as early as possible and try and leave as early as possible if you've completed your days work.
His main problem is that he has wasted a lot of time, has been less organized, and failed to get in the required number of hours in everyday.
He has been having trouble reading and understanding papers.
As I look to him, I fear that this might be a problem facing almost every Phd candidate simply because the type of work done in a PhD degree is totally different from the type of work required for any other job.
The differences in PhD work versus other Jobs/degrees
1) No boss and no proper guidance, no one tell you what to do. For some lucky students, this may not be the case.
2) Lots of unstructured time. There is no start and end time for PhD research, you could be working in the day or at night, the work hours are simply too flexible. This flexibility allows PhD students to procrastinate. The thinking everyday becomes that if I don't work in the morning, then i'll cover up for it in the night. For most students the most productive time then becomes 2-4 am which really isn't the best time for work. This would eventually trouble you mentally and there is high probability for crashing and burning
3) Most of the work is not repetitive and requires a lot of thinking. Course work is too an extent repetitive, same theory but different problems but the application is too quite an extent repetitive. The amount of time actually learning something is actually very little, most of it is repetition. Jobs are even more repetitious and new learning is sparse. Doing repetitious work and thinking are different types of work which should be handled differently. You simply cannot read equations and expect your brain to understand these equations if your brain is tired. Hence keep your brain fresh and if it tires then do not proceed until you somehow make it fresh again.
4) Another problem with PhD work is that it is a lonely undertaking, you are the only one traveling the road. You will meet people who have similar research topics as you but yours would be unique. Try and go to conferences and give talks. This would help.
5) If your supervisor is unresponsive, has no time, cannot guide you, then don't just sit on your ass, this must be an excellent learning opportunity and become active and systematic.
6) Organization and learning is important. Learn as much as possible. The race should be implement and learn. You cannot just skim through research papers and expect to come up with excellent stuff or implementations. Implement stuff but make sure that what you are implementing is well researched and rigorous, without rigor it wouldn't have much meaning.
7) Get up as early as possible, mornings are the best for work, evenings are for resting and hanging out with people. Try and get in the lab as early as possible and try and leave as early as possible if you've completed your days work.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Daily Diary
Worked 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I realized that working in even shorter burst is sometimes more effective.
Taking walks in between helps improve your ability to focus while you are working
I realized that working in even shorter burst is sometimes more effective.
Taking walks in between helps improve your ability to focus while you are working
Monday, March 21, 2011
Daily Diary
Only worked 26 minutes.
Next time don't even think about wasting time on the internet in the morning or afternoon. Never.
Remove distractions and clutter. Just go on walks but don't clutter your mind with the internet.
Next time don't even think about wasting time on the internet in the morning or afternoon. Never.
Remove distractions and clutter. Just go on walks but don't clutter your mind with the internet.
Daily Diary
Worked 1 hr 30 minutes on Sunday
Wasted almost the entire day. I have realized that work is painful.
Need to complete my hours and get out rather than procrastinate. Work with extreme focus and intensity through out the day and stop in the evening. Relax and have fun. That is why you work....to have fun later on.
Wasted almost the entire day. I have realized that work is painful.
Need to complete my hours and get out rather than procrastinate. Work with extreme focus and intensity through out the day and stop in the evening. Relax and have fun. That is why you work....to have fun later on.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Daily Diary
Worked 2hrs and 40 minutes yesterday
Had to go home early because of a stupid cricket match that we ended up losing. I still need to work 5 hours daily to complete my phd.
My goal should now be to work for 2.5 hours in two sittings each. How's that.
Had to go home early because of a stupid cricket match that we ended up losing. I still need to work 5 hours daily to complete my phd.
My goal should now be to work for 2.5 hours in two sittings each. How's that.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Daily Diary
Worked 2 hours today....
"whenever you're in the zone, don't stop and try and extend it....don't take a break longer than 10 minutes"
"whenever you're in the zone, don't stop and try and extend it....don't take a break longer than 10 minutes"
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Bad Work Habits (Internet Addiction)
Addiction to anything (carbs, internet, drugs, smoking) etc can be controlled if you do less of it (duh!).
The more you do, the more you would want to do, vice versa, the less you do, the less you would want to do.....the consumption to addiction ratio is proportional and addiction is cured nonlinearly
The more you do, the more you would want to do, vice versa, the less you do, the less you would want to do.....the consumption to addiction ratio is proportional and addiction is cured nonlinearly
Monday, February 28, 2011
Daily Diary
Worked for 3 hrs and 35 minutes in total.
Again realized that once you mind is tired, then it would never work. Don't even try to work unless your mind is well rested.
And similarly, never waste away precious time when you mind is well rested. Make sure a well rested mind is at work and a tired mind is not at work
Again realized that once you mind is tired, then it would never work. Don't even try to work unless your mind is well rested.
And similarly, never waste away precious time when you mind is well rested. Make sure a well rested mind is at work and a tired mind is not at work
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Rules of Thumb
Whenever you visit some place, then you end up meeting new people who would present you with newer opportunities.
Go to different places where there is some probability of meeting interesting characters, take your work with you, and put in the daily hours!
Go to different places where there is some probability of meeting interesting characters, take your work with you, and put in the daily hours!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Quantifying things: Is it important?
2 hours of work, gives me 30 minutes of internet. Preferably no internet.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Time and It's work importance
Put in the daily work hours, 4-hours would be perfect for me right now....don't think about ending the day until you do that first.
Daily Diary
As a rule, Never ever do anything apart from work until and unless you have done some work.
Again wasted my morning on the internet.
Again wasted my morning on the internet.
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