by Holly Bik
Dr. Holly Bik is a computational biologist currently working as a Birmingham Fellow in the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Check out more of her writing at her blog, Haute Science, as well as her website, hollybik.com.
Office Aesthetics
There’s no question - scientific research is a tough profession. The job requires significant mental effort on a daily basis: analyzing data, writing code, absorbing the literature, drafting manuscripts. The bottom line for career advancement is always produce, produce, produce (all the while carving out your own intellectual niche). So how do we optimize our workday? What are some ways to remove roadblocks and facilitate the process of creativity? The answers will vary for each person, but over time I’ve identified some critical factors for my own personal productivity (and perhaps these will help you too).
I’m keenly aware that office space aesthetics will directly affect my productivity and motivation (for better or worse, depending on the office!). As a grad student and postdoc, I didn’t have much say in the matter - students and trainees tend to get assigned to whatever space is available. Now that I have my own office, I can finally customize the layout, furniture and decorations to my exact specifications.
Whether you have your own office or work in a shared space, I recommend doing whatever you can to organize your office space to be both functional and productive. If you can pick out furniture, choose shapes and colors that you really like. Don’t make a quick decision, and don’t be afraid to shop around to find a setup that will really work for you. Designing your office is like picking out a mattress - you’re going to spend a lot of time at your desk, so you want to make sure it's both ergonomic and provides all the features you need. That might mean two desks (maybe one standing desk, one sitting desk), or even a treadmill desk setup.
Whether you have your own office or work in a shared space, I recommend doing whatever you can to organize your office space to be both functional and productive. If you can pick out furniture, choose shapes and colors that you really like. Don’t make a quick decision, and don’t be afraid to shop around to find a setup that will really work for you. Designing your office is like picking out a mattress - you’re going to spend a lot of time at your desk, so you want to make sure it's both ergonomic and provides all the features you need. That might mean two desks (maybe one standing desk, one sitting desk), or even a treadmill desk setup.
My dream desk from Ultralinx!
Think about meetings and breaks too - I have a “Don Draper” couch in my office, which I use to get away from my computer screen (perhaps reading papers and drinking tea). It’s also great to have a separate area for visitors to sit down and drop their personal belongings (students, seminar speakers - types of people you will host often, especially in university settings). Usually at some point in the day I start to go crazy sitting in my office, so I’ve located a number of locations around campus where I can head to and work for an hour or so - usually coffee shops and quiet areas of the library where there is wifi access. Research backs up this strategy - changing locations periodically can improve your concentration and productivity.
Finally, I’m a bit obsessed with stationary. Using good quality paper, pens, and notebooks generally makes me happy (and picking out these products adds a bit of fun to the daily grind). One of my favorite shops is the Japanese chain Muji. Art museums also usually have fantastic gift shops where you can stock up on gorgeous notebooks. Using office supplies you enjoy can infuse a little luxury into your day, and give you some encouragement for managing your calendar and task lists (more on that below).
Finally, I’m a bit obsessed with stationary. Using good quality paper, pens, and notebooks generally makes me happy (and picking out these products adds a bit of fun to the daily grind). One of my favorite shops is the Japanese chain Muji. Art museums also usually have fantastic gift shops where you can stock up on gorgeous notebooks. Using office supplies you enjoy can infuse a little luxury into your day, and give you some encouragement for managing your calendar and task lists (more on that below).
Traveling
Traveling is exhausting, so here I find that efficiency is key. Smartphones are great for storing boarding passes and confirmations (e.g. in passbook on iOS). I religiously use the website/app Tripit to organize all my travel itineraries and store hotel addresses, phone numbers, etc. - the paid Pro version will track your flights and text you about any delays (oftentimes before the announcement is even made in the airport!). Tripit saves you the hassle of searching through old emails and means you can access all your travel information on your phone even in a foreign country without internet/data access. When exploring a new city, Google offline maps are another lifesaver. In short, technology should be your best friend when you travel. Although for long/remote trips I admit I still print out paper copies of my TripIt itineraries (just in case).
Some other things I’ve learned:
Some other things I’ve learned:
- Invest in good carry on luggage - don’t check bags. In addition to avoiding baggage fees, the mobility of carry on luggage is liberating - and it becomes a real advantage if you get bumped or miss a connecting flight. I assure you that you can fit all you need in a good sized carry on, you just have to plan what you’ll need and bring a multipurpose wardrobe. As proof, I can confirm that for one 2-week trip to Japan I managed to fit both professional conference outfits and hiking gear in a carry-on suitcase.
- Science gives you amazing opportunities to experience different cities, countries, and cultures. You have to eat while traveling, so I always use trips as an opportunities to explore local cuisine and dining experiences.
Organizing your workday
I think it’s important for each person to understand their own rhythm (are you a night owl or morning person?), and organize your workday so that you’re not wasting your best hours of the day. There are countless online threads and websites devoted to this topic - and many people have very strong opinions! I got hooked onto this topic via the cult website Lifehacker. Some good introductory articles are as follows: Productivity 101, How to be the most productive person in you office and still get home by 5:30pm, Top 10 tricks for dealing with email overload.
I use a combination of online and paper planning tools to organize my own workday. I use post-it notes to capture and prioritize tasks, and the night before each workday I will write down the three most important tasks I need to accomplish the next day (and that post-it gets stuck right on my laptop). For long-term planning and tracking monthly goals, I use an online notecard/bulletin board website called Trello. I love the layout, the ability to drag and color-label cards, and the capacity to organize cards into lists. For me, Trello is fun and intuitive to use, just like my collection of pens and paper stationary. Recently I’ve also been experimenting with the Bullet Journal method, although I’m still on the fence about whether it’s something I’ll incorporate into my organizational strategy.
I use a combination of online and paper planning tools to organize my own workday. I use post-it notes to capture and prioritize tasks, and the night before each workday I will write down the three most important tasks I need to accomplish the next day (and that post-it gets stuck right on my laptop). For long-term planning and tracking monthly goals, I use an online notecard/bulletin board website called Trello. I love the layout, the ability to drag and color-label cards, and the capacity to organize cards into lists. For me, Trello is fun and intuitive to use, just like my collection of pens and paper stationary. Recently I’ve also been experimenting with the Bullet Journal method, although I’m still on the fence about whether it’s something I’ll incorporate into my organizational strategy.
An example Trello board - I like to label tasks with colors based on category (eg. yellow for admin tasks). This helps me prioritize and bundle tasks together.
There are lots of formal productivity systems with good online communities - examples include GTD (“Getting Things Done”) and the Pomodoro method. If you don’t want to mix and match tools (or you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options), experimenting with a formal system might be the best way forward. I personally love the Pomodoro method, which involves working for 25 minute timed blocks (“Pomodoros”), followed by a 5-minute timed break. I use Pomodoros especially for things like grant proposals, which are stressful and mentally intensive and require you to put in a lot of time. Having built-in breaks makes the process less painful and gives you something to look forward to (you also get longer 15-minute breaks after doing 3-4 Pomodoros). And I find it much easier to keep working for long stretches if my brain knows it only has to concentrate for 25 minutes at a time.
Finally, I think it’s important to be inspired by something every day - it keeps you motivated and gives you a sense of purpose. Seeking inspiration might be a simple as going for a walk outside, maybe in a nearby park or nature reserve. When I’m sitting at my desk and feeling overwhelmed, I often look toward my online social networks for a bit of a boost. Chatting with colleagues on Twitter, reading about the latest research findings, and generally keeping up with the news reminds me that I’m part of something greater - and seeing other researchers work hard motivates me to do so as well. Another form of inspiration is through exercise - I regularly use yoga or running as a way to detach from my computer and let my brain wander.
It's not essential to adhere to all of this advice - I'm only trying to convey some of the things that work well for me. Experimentation is key to success, and when once you find something that works, the next step is to built it into a habit. Take your time—and above all, enjoy the process.
It's not essential to adhere to all of this advice - I'm only trying to convey some of the things that work well for me. Experimentation is key to success, and when once you find something that works, the next step is to built it into a habit. Take your time—and above all, enjoy the process.
Some shots from my current office at the University of Birmingham