Once you have made the decision to pursue a PhD, you are faced with an overwhelming number of tasks. Getting a PhD takes time and energy. Due to the many tasks that come your way, it can be difficult to keep a sufficient overview of your promotion. A good planning can help you with this.
Drawing up an effective plan for your promotion is not an easy task. Things can happen that you have not taken into account in advance. Still, it is nice to have a guideline for your work. This way, you will ultimately hand over your thesis to the printer on time.
Do you want to start with a good time schedule? With these tips you certainly will:
- Schedule time
- Overview of tasks
- From back to front
- Eat the frog
- Eisenhower model
- Warren Buffet Method
- Track progress
- Delivery to the printing company
Do you want to have your thesis printed soon?
Download our information booklet for more information.
Request the information book
Schedule time
When you start making your time schedule, it is a big pitfall to plan all of your time. Because if a specific part turns out different than you had estimated, your entire time schedule will fail. That is why it is important to take this into account. The best way is to schedule “only” 80% of your time. You can then use the remaining 20% for unexpected activities and resolve possible delays.
Overview of tasks
It is a fact: you have many tasks that needs to be done. It is important to have clear which tasks you need to do. By mapping this out, you can be sure that you will not overlook any (partial) tasks during the execution.
To create an effective planning, you can use useful strategies such as Oliver Burkeman’s 3/3/3 rule. Every day you plan:
- 3 hours of deep work on your most important task.
- 3 shorter urgent tasks (to-do’s, phone calls and meetings).
- 3 maintenance tasks (to keep life running smoothly).
Each promotion contains different tasks, depending on your research, the institution where you receive your PhD and your personal development and life. It is not possible to show a concrete schedule because of these variables. In addition, each phase of your research also has its own tasks. By carefully mapping out your tasks and using effective planning techniques, you can create a clear and achievable schedule for a successful promotion.
From back to front
When you start making your time schedule, it is best to plan from back to front. Look at the deadline and from that point on, see when which things need to be done. What is the date of defense? How many weeks before your defense should you hand over the first number of copies? How much time does the printing company need to produce and deliver your thesis? Take a step back every time and take that into account in your planning.
Don’t forget to schedule time for your assessors. They need time to provide feedback to your work. If your schedule is to tight and your assessor is just a little later than agreed, you can get in trouble right away.
By working from back to front, you will find out that you need more time for certain tasks than you might think. By thinking about this in advance, you can avoid encountering this during the work process.
Eat the frog
The expression “eat that frog” is attributed to Mark Twain, who once said that if the first thing you do every morning is eat a frog alive, you can spend the day satisfied because this is probably the worst thing you will ever do. In concrete terms, it means that you tackle your most challenging or most important task first, preferably early in the morning. By tackling the most demanding task head-on, you will create a sense of satisfaction and the energy to tackle the rest of your tasks effectively. It emphasizes the importance of setting a positive tone for the day and avoiding procrastination, especially on crucial tasks.
Eisenhower model
The American president Eisenhower is also seen as the master of time management. With the Eisenhower method you learn to distinguish the most important tasks from urgent tasks. If you are unsure about what to do, fill in the Eisenhower model first. Then you decide which task is the right one to perform at that time.
Warren buffet-method
Warren Buffet is a multi-millionaire who also knows how to schedule his time. According to him this is a good method:
• Make a list of everything you want to do;
• Start with the task at the top of the list and then move on to the next.
• Cross already completed tasks on your list.
However, it is important to be realistic in your time schedule. So don’t put more on your to-do list per day than you can actually handle.
Track progress
When planning, you have to keep track of your progress. Then you can fine-tune it and improve it if necessary. You can of course keep track of the progress of your promotion with pen and paper. But there are also various apps that can help you with this. For example Trello, Notion or Todoist can be very handy.
An effective strategy is to share your tasks with others, such as supervisors, colleagues or family members. Expressing your short-term goals creates a form of accountability pressure. This external motivation stimulates optimal control of your progress.
Delivery to the printing company
Do you want to have your thesis printed? Then it is important that you submit your thesis in time. You should include this in your planning. At GildePrint we have a handy timeframe that can help you on your way:
Getting your PhD with the help of Gildeprint
We understand that after all your hard work, you would like to successfully complete your thesis. If you have your thesis printed at Gildeprint, you can be sure that it will be delivered in time. Would you like to know more about Gildeprint’s services? Then contact us without obligation.
Do you want to have your thesis printed soon?
Download our information booklet for more information.
Request the information book