Procrastination involves avoiding specific tasks; while avoidance tends to be a more general pattern that develops and can cause recurring issues both at work and at home. Most people can relate to occasional bouts of both procrastination and avoidance. About 95% of people admit to putting off work, according to Piers Steel, author of The Procrastination Equation. But, just to ensure you don’t feel alone in these challenges, check out this TED talk from Tim Urban, “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator”. In their research, Pychyl and Blunt found seven triggers which can make tasks feel even more aversive. Usually the task is: Boring Frustrating Difficult Ambiguous Unstructured Not…
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FROM THE ARCHIVE: Manage Your Time with a Tomato
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with all of the projects you are juggling at work, and as a result, felt that you weren’t doing any one of them as well as you could? Perhaps you have felt swamped, juggling so many projects that you are unsure where–or even how–to start. There is an intriguing time management tool…a tomato. Maybe you have heard of–or used–the Pomodoro Technique™, but its properties are quite simple and can be applied anytime, anywhere. According to the website, “Creator Francesco Cirillo was a university student in Rome struggling to stay on task. He decided to challenge his powers of concentration using what he had at hand…
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FROM THE ARCHIVE – Get More Done: Take A Break
Find yourself swamped with work but unable to focus? Ever wonder how to quit procrastinating? At OITE, we often get asked about strategies and tips on how to improve one’s time management and productivity. This From the Archive post offers unlikely advice on how to handle these work challenges. The title seems a little contradictory. How is it that you can get more work done, but spend less time working? According to a New York Times article about a study from the University of Toronto Scarborough, it is because small breaks make you more efficient. The study authors suggests that the brain “becomes fatigued after sustained use and needs a…
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“There Aren’t Enough Hours in the Day” – Time Management Tips
Everybody seems busy today. In fact, according to an op-ed in the New York Times, many Americans are addicted to this ‘busy trap.’ Guilt and anxiety seem to arise if you aren’t managing multiple projects at once. Because of this daily grind – self-imposed or not – many aren’t able to find time to plan and strategize their career development. Most job seekers lament that there just aren’t enough hours in the day. How then can you take back control and find the time that is needed in order to effectively accomplish your goals? Keep a Time Journal If you wonder at the end of your day why your ‘To…
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How We Learn
Post written by Sharon Milgram, Director of The Office of Intramural Training & Education. Science careers, at or away from the bench, require us to be life-long learners. To be successful, we are always learning – and teaching – new skills. While many of us enjoy this, it also comes with frustrations and challenges. In considering how we learn, I was struck by the excellent and concise explanation of the stages we typically go through as we learn and develop new skills. I found this in a short book entitled “Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager” written by Ken Blanchard. Intramural trainees can find the book in the OITE…
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Tips on Conducting a Job Search Anywhere
Do you need to find a job in a geographically limited area far from your current location? Maybe your significant other just found a dream job, or maybe you just always wanted to live in Seattle, WA – whatever the reason, a remote and geographically limited job search poses a distinct set of challenges that require some strategizing to overcome. Here are a few thoughts that may help from a person who recently was searching for a job in Dallas, TX, while living in Bethesda, MD. These tips are useful in any job search, but particularly for conducting a remote search. Begin the search early. Job options tend to be…
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Finding Time for Career-Enhancing Activities
Research is your top priority as a graduate student or postdoc. That, coupled with your passion for science, may drive you to devote every waking moment to your research. You love discovery. You need to publish. However, regardless of your career aspirations, your regular routine may benefit from a slight change of pace. Maybe there is a certain career you’ve always wanted to explore or skill set you’ve wanted to develop. Participating in activities outside of lab can help you learn a lot about yourself, forge meaningful networks, and potentially guide your future career path. Earlier, we discussed serving on the career symposium committee and how to make the most…
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Serving on a Committee: Make the Most of the Opportunity
The OITE starts preparing for the large events (like the NIH Career Symposium) about 9-12 months in advance. When we can, we like to form committees of NIH fellows eager to help plan, organize and execute these events. It helps us to get fresh ideas from the fellows’ perspective, and it gives fellows the chance to build valuable skills to highlight on their resumes. Here are three ways to take full advantage of committee membership. Leadership – Being on a committee gives you a chance to be a leader. However, you have to take the initiative make that happen. Vocalize your ideas by making suggestions for speakers, session topics, themes,…
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Putting Together Your Job Package
If you have been following out Calendar for Career Success, you know that August is the time to put together your job packages. Whether it be for an academic positions, a postdoc or a transition to a new career field, you need to have a competitive application. We have provided some information below we feel will be helpful in this endeavor. What is a Job Package? – A job package almost always includes a CV OR resume and a cover letter. It is important to know whether you will want to include a CV versus a resume. However, regardless of which one the job calls for you will want to…
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Getting the Skills You Need
If you have been following our Calendar for Career Success in 2012, then July is the month where you should be making some decisions. You have done some exploring of career options, gathered information on different jobs and interviewed a variety of people to gain a better understanding of what a particular job really entails. You have spent the first part of the year getting to know yourself and your options. You have broadened your ideas of what careers are out there for you. Now it is time to start narrowing those options down to the ones you are really passionate about and to make a plan for how you…