Procrastination

Productivity can be significantly reduced by procrastinating the "hardest" or "boring" tasks.

Tomorrow’s professor blog has a very good posting on overcoming procrastination. The article uses metaphors cleverly so that the reader can relate to everyday tasks. Although this article is supposed to be for academics, I believe it can be extended to any person who wants to be productive. While stressing the regular mantra of “Get Started Now!” the post explains 3 different methods to overcome procrastination:

The Tolerable Ten

If you've been putting something off, it helps to start small. Begin working for just ten minutes on the daunting tasks of your life.

The Weightlifter's Guide

Think of weightlifters in training: If a weightlifter tries on Monday to bench press 200 pounds and can't lift the bar, does she try to lift 250 pounds the next day?

The Internet Deferment Decree

Use the Internet as a reward rather than a precursor to your toughest tasks. Even if you are waiting to see if you've gotten your grant, are expecting an important message from your advisor, or need to do a new literature search on the computer, first work on your most important academic project for just ten minutes before "examining" anything else.

Quotes from Luis Alvarez

I read The Cuckoo’s Egg by Cliff Stoll. I found some very inspiring quotes from Luis Alvarez. I present here some quotes, which can be found in pages 105 and 106 of the book. The book is a good read.

...When you are doing real research, you never know what it’ll cost, how much time it’ll take, or what you’ll find. You just know there’s unexplored territory and a chance to discover what’s out there.

Don’t try to be a cop, be a scientist. Research the connections, the techniques, the holes. Apply physical principles. Find new methods to solve problems. Compile statistics, publish your results, and only trust what you can prove. But don’t exclude improbable solutions–keep your mind open.

Dead ends are illusory. When did you ever let a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign keep you away from anything? Go around the brick walls. When you can’t go around, climb over or dig under. Just don’t give up.

Permission, bah. Funding, forget it. Nobody will pay for research; they’re only interested in results.