How to Maximise Productivity as a PhD Student

TL;DR

This video details a productive week for a PhD student embracing a new routine focused on early work sessions. By balancing deep work, exercise, and self-care, this individual successfully manages writing a paper while maintaining overall well-being.

Transcript

hi everyone so it is monday i'm filming a work week in my life kind of video so it is actually around 1 p.m right now i have already today sort of gotten a lot of work done i'm trying out a new routine this week which is basically an anti-morning routine essentially so starting off the day straight away with work i'm i'm the whole week planning to ... Read More

Key Insights

• 💦 The individual's new routine allows for focused work time in the morning and promotes work-life balance.
• ✍️ Balancing analysis and writing tasks is a strategic approach to progressing on the paper.
• ✍️ Having separate screens for writing and reference materials helps increase productivity and organization.
• 💦 Keeping a separate document for general to-do lists helps avoid distractions during PhD work.
• 😨 Regular exercise and self-care activities are built into the schedule for health and well-being.
• 😫 Tracking progress and setting goals for specific sections of the paper can provide motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
• 😪 The individual prioritizes sleep and ensures they get eight hours each night.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the individual's new routine and why did they implement it?

The individual's new routine involves starting the day with two hours of work before engaging in their morning routine. They implemented this routine to ensure focused work time early in the day and to balance their schedule with late classes on certain days.

Q: What did the individual spend their afternoon doing?

In the afternoon, the individual worked on writing up parts of their paper, as they felt they had made enough progress with analysis for the day. They also had some administrative tasks to complete.

Q: How does the individual measure their progress on writing the paper?

The individual tracks the length of their paper and aims to complete different sections each day. They also set goals for specific sections, such as completing four pages for the methods and six pages for the results.

Q: How does the individual structure their workspace and tasks?

The individual uses multiple screens, with one screen dedicated to writing the paper and the other screen displaying their research notes. They also keep a separate document for general to-do lists and use mind sweeps to keep track of non-PhD tasks.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The content follows the individual's work routine, starting with two hours of work in the morning before engaging in their morning routine and continuing with more work throughout the day.

• The individual focuses on writing a paper, dividing their time between analysis and writing.

• The schedule includes designated workout times and breaks for meals and walks.