remove your name from mailing lists to pro-
tect yourself whenever possible. By keeping
your inbox list of messages short, you will
have an easier time finding what you need to
complete your own projects and to be able to
help others. Make quick work of small
requests so you have more time for more
important projects.
For those still lucky enough to be able to
work at the bench each day, staying on top of
the game includes keeping your lab notebook
in good order. Much time is saved when lab
notebooks are maintained in a clear and
organized manner. It is essential to put the
gels/films/counts in the notebook and label
and/or graph them out before doing the nextexperiment. Sometimes you will notice some-
thing in the data that you wouldn’t have if
you didn’t take the time to fully document
the experiment. Get the most from each
experiment by keeping pristine records.
When it comes time to write up the work for
publication, the details will be essential and
the writing will also be expedited.Organize Your Workspace
Many people think more clearly when their
office (or desk area) is clean. Letters and
memos can’t get lost under massive piles. A
day spent clearing off the desk and organiz-
ing files is time well spent and will enhance
the ability to tackle more. Lab workers often
find that it is much easier to work and to gen-
erate clean results working at a clean lab
bench. As mentioned earlier, keep your desk
clean by keeping up with your lab notebook
and keeping “idea lists” in a defined location.All of us are more efficient on some days
than others. It is important to acknowledge
this and make progress on more mindless
projects (doing the references on a manu-
script or grant, for example, or updating your
files) on a day when the more creative juices
simply aren’t flowing. Grad students and
postdocs will find that a day spent planning
experiments, writing protocols and preparing
solutions can also be a day well spent. Then
there are days that are best reserved for vol-
unteering to defrost the lab freezer or to clean
out the tissue culture incubators.Take Care of Yourself
No one gets much work done if they haven’t
slept well or aren’t feeling well. Work is
important, but we all have more energy when
we are able to maintain a regular and varied
exercise program and we eat regular meals.
Some people ride their bikes to the lab, which
guarantees that they’ll get exercise every day.
If you find it hard to fit exercise into your
schedule, use the stairs instead of elevators at
work, or park your car at a location that
requires you to walk a longer distance to get
to the lab (if weather and safety issues per-
mit). Also remember that more time at work
does not equal more work accomplished. It is
essential to get away from the lab or the office
so that when you return, you feel fresh and
ready to tackle all that awaits you. “Burn out”
is endemic among biological researchers and
educators, between grant writing and manu-
script revising and lecture preparation and so
on. Balance is essential and will help you
accomplish more.Good Time Management
Includes Managing Deadlines
Many of us work best under the threat of a
deadline. Yet last-minute efforts can’t benefit
from the input and comments of others, and
they exhaust us emotionally and physically. If130 CAREER ADVICE FOR LIFE SCIENTISTS II
Get the most from each
experiment by keeping pristine
records.