Category Archives: Productivity

September 4, 2013
7:17 pm
by: watsonaj

Something to keep in mind for the new school year

Today, one of my friends shared the following article about the common tendency to complain about how busy one is. Please stop complaining about how busy you are. I think that it’s fair to say that the majority of academics … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, balance, Productivity, Work / Life Balance

July 2, 2013
5:35 pm
by: watsonaj

10%

Today, with yet another 4-year-old in and out of the lab, I have completed 10% of my dissertation data collection.  This is certainly not the first large-scale project for which I have collected data, and it certainly will not be … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in dissertation, Grad School, Productivity, reflection

June 12, 2013
4:07 pm
by: watsonaj

Back to Blacksburg

Well, I’m back in Blacksburg after an incredible global adventure.  Many more pictures and stories will follow, but for now I have two goals: (1) to express how incredibly enriching of an experience I had, and (2) to report back … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, dissertation, engagement, GPP13, Productivity, research, summer

September 13, 2012
4:21 am
by: watsonaj

Regression? A Token Economy? Or Academia?

I’ll be frank with you, dear blogosphere.  I am completely and utterly terrified of my dissertation.  It’s silly, I know.  There’s nothing here that I haven’t done (albeit on a smaller scale) before.  I have collected, analyzed, written, and presented … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in academic fear, dissertation, Productivity

August 6, 2012
2:30 pm
by: watsonaj

Disconnecting (Sort of…)

I’m dogsitting this week.  Because of said dogsitting, I am spending my evenings in an efficiency apartment that has access to neither cable nor internet.  I rely heavily on my evenings as productive time, and I was nervous that hiding … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in balance, connectivity, Productivity

June 29, 2012
3:21 pm
by: watsonaj

A mid-summer update

My apologies for the lack of updates.  Life has been a bit of a (good) whirlwind lately. I’m excited to report that I have an idea for a dissertation.  It will take me a while to decide upon the specifics … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, data collection, dissertation, mentors, preschoolers, Productivity

May 28, 2012
2:54 pm
by: watsonaj

Getting Things Done

Let me start by admitting that I am a PhD Comics addict.  The strip follows a series of students through the trials and tribulations of their graduate careers, touching on everything from advisor problems to the hunt for campus events … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Productivity