BY JOSEPH SOBOKA
Something that we cannot easily give up is what we refer to as a habit. There is a tendency to keep doing it regularly, preferably non-stop despite the dissuasion from people particularly if it is harmful. A simple rudimentary illustration is the impact of the addictive substances or other things that have the power to override the individuals’ right decisions in life. There are good and bad reasons why we keep doing things to satisfy our ego. To lead the issue a little further, there are good reasons to drink coffee and there are also few reasons not to.
This article is for those who are looking for reasons to keep drinking it. After all, you may have a caffeine-hater in your life. You know the type – they’re always telling you what’s bad for your health. Here’s a list of some good reasons to drink coffee. Memorize this list. So the next time you encounter your favorite coffee-hater you can pull out one of these babies. While you’re at it, you can add the words “from a peer-reviewed scientific journal”. That’ll really get your pet coffee-hater frothing at the mouth. In all seriousness, here are some scientific reasons for drinking coffee in moderation.
Stop these counter-productive habits that could be holding you back from moving your research and career forward.
1. Multitasking
Multitasking is one of the most counter-productive habits you can have. Many people work on many tasks simultaneously, believing that it helps them improve their performance. This is a false belief. It is that they only feel efficient by multitasking. In fact, a study has found that only 2.5% of individuals show no performance decrements when multitasking.
1. When you’re multitasking, you’re rapidly toggling between several tasks. Every time you switch your primary task, your brain must abandon the previous task and adapt to the new task. You become less productive. So next time you’re thinking of running three experiments at the same time, think again. Try this instead: Schedule one task at a time. Then obsess over doing that task effectively.
2. Putting off difficult tasks
When difficult tasks come your way, it’s tempting to procrastinate, working on them until closer to the deadline. This deliberate delay is counter-productive. You reduce the amount of time you have to complete the job. You may also be even busier than you are now and end up scrambling at the last minute to complete that task.
For example, you may be tempted to put off article writing until last minute. By doing this you may not be able to identify gaps early enough to perform preliminary experiments or you may run out of time to proofread your writing.
Try this instead: Start difficult tasks early.
3. Saying “Yes” all the time
You may have an assistance who has a million of ideas for “extra” experiments that you should try. If you say “yes” every time to these extra work, you may run out of time to get the data you need for the paper. You’ll be spread too thin and lose the ability to devote your energy to your priority writing projects. Before you say “yes”, be sure to evaluate whether you have the desire and the bandwidth to accommodate the additional input.
Try this instead: Be honest and say “no” if you don’t have time to take on additional tasks.
Depending on the relationship you have with you rassistance, it can be scary to just say “no”. Instead, you can share what you’re currently working on and ask for his help to re-prioritize your current tasks in order to accommodate his request. Alternatively, you can simply ask whether you can put it on your list and get to it later when you’re a little less busy. For example, you can say, “Great idea! But my current writings are taking all of my time right now. Could we revisit this next month?”
4. “Winging It”
In the midst of all the experiments, you may be tempted to jump from experiment to experiment without taking the time to thoroughly plan ahead or analyze the situation. “Winging it” is risky. Without thorough preparation, you may miss important controls in your writing design or you may not even have the right reagents in stock. If you don’t analyze data from the writing you’ve just completed, you may end up repeating flawed experimental procedures. Try these instead: plan your approach carefully; analyze data as you complete each experiment
5. Reading emails as they arrive
Pop-up email notifications are distracting. Seeing it makes you want to stop what you’re currently doing to read and respond to the email you just received. Some of us have a compulsive need to constantly check our inbox and can’t stand seeing more than zero unread emails.
This is a difficult habit to break because checking emails, much like checking your phone, is an easy way to procrastinate. Moreover, you can simply make the mental excuse that you’re being productive by checking your work email. Try these alternatives:
Wait until the afternoon to read your emails. Close your inbox to prevent distracting notifications. Turn off email notifications on your phone.
6. Refusing to ask for help when you need it
Pride hinders progress. At times it can feel like you should be able to figure everything out on your own—you’re a highly educated writer after all. This way of thinking prevents progress. You may hesitate to ask for help from others with more expertise than you in certain techniques or knowledge area. Remember, the worst thing that could happen is they’ll say, “no”.
Try this instead: Know when to ask for help. If you know someone with the right expertise, just ask him anyway. Even if you think you sort of know the answer.
7. Working Harder
We should all work hard. But if you’re already giving your all, trying to put in more effort is not sustainable and can be counter-productive. Let’s say you’re already working 45 hours per week, and then you realize how busy you really are. Your default reaction may be to sacrifice life outside the lab and start working 60 hours per week. You then risk becoming stressed or even burning out. You won’t be able to stay productive for long if you push yourself too hard.
Try this instead: work smarter instead of harder. Take time to assess how you’re doing your work. Make your processes more efficient
Set boundaries between work time and personal time.Scientist working in a lab tips for working smart
8. Resisting change
Science is innovative and cutting edge. Does this mean scientists embrace innovation and live on the cutting edge? No. There’s a spectrum: Some scientists willingly adopt new technologies and challenge the status quo, and some are resistant to change and unwilling to adapt to new methods. Even though there are smarter, more efficient ways of getting the same thing done, this latter group prefers to stick to the old and more time-consuming ways because those ways have worked in the past.
9. Learn about new and more efficient systems and styles
Ask if you can try new products in your own studio. Build good productivity habits.
Aside from breaking bad habits, it’s important to build good ones. If you haven’t already adopted these nine habits of a highly productive writing or research, do all you can to prove your excellence.
The Ethiopian Herald 22 April 2021
