e2 ESQuaReD

Time ManagementBalancing Research, Teaching and Service

Matthew Dwyer

Laboratory for Empirically-based Software Quality Research

Department of Computer Science

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

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Broad Challenges

There are too many tasks to perform– simplify and/or drop something

Tasks take too long to perform– become more efficient and/or focused

Easier said than done!

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Basic Principles

Be realistic

Actively plan your time

Stick to the plan consistently

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Be realistic - managing your time

I have a colleague– extreme morning person– very structured with time management– also very successful!

Plan to your nature – perfectionist should schedule more time for a job– dreamers should schedule free thinking time

Pick and choose from this advice!

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Be realistic - invest for the long run Your career is a marathon not a sprint

– developing time management strategies now will payoff for decades

Productive time is all that matters at work – wall clock time is irrelevant – it can be frightening to log how you spend your time– try it once and scare yourself straight

Time off is important– a fresh brain is more productive

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Active time planning

Apply your analytical, problem-solving nature to time management

Make plans - week, month, 3-month, year, …– set specific deadlines for yourself– track progress– learn from mistakes

• was the plan wrong? • was the task harder than expected?

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Follow plan consistently

When push comes to shove …

blame it on the plan!

Establish a flexible plan– fluid, slush, and frozen portions of your schedule– open door when things are fluid– close door and post do not disturb when frozen

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Time Management Strategies

Focus your efforts

Creating time

Using time well

Students and time

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Focus your efforts : assess climate

Can't please everyone– you don't need to

Talk with supervisor/senior faculty– understand local expectations– understand community expectations

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Focus your efforts : pick a bar

you are in your dream job– figure out what makes the locals happy

your goal is to become well-regarded in the SE community– likely since you are here– if you do that, tenure will be easy– and you will be movable

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Focus your efforts : on impact

emphasize high quality research

choose service where you can make a difference

teach to prepare your research students

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Creating Time : It’s not easy to say no for many people

same goes for not volunteering

Saying yes to something that is not on your plan – is saying no to something on your plan

Making no easier– say "let me think about it" – "if I say yes to this, then I need to give up that”

N O

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Creating Time : hiding

You must plan blocks of time to think deeply

Schedule no-teach days

Establish a meaning for open and closed doors

Working elsewhere– home, coffee shop, library, …

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Using Time : doubling upTeaching and research

– I find it tough to under invest in teaching– I still futz over my compiler slides after 10 years– leverage the investment to learn something new

Reviewing and research– Accept review offers that are well aligned with your

research, skip ones that are far afield– Don’t worry they will ask you again

Committee service and student selection– Admissions gives a heads up on new recruits

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Using Time : meetings

To meet or not to meet?– essential– dangerous time consumers

When you meet try the following– Establish an email free zone– Organize the meeting– Demand preparation– Stop a meeting once it becomes unproductive

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Students & Time : first contact

They are the joy of your existence, but

Temper your enthusiasm in taking on a student– engage with caution– consider a trial period with specific objectives– don't hesitate to cut ties if it doesn't work

Unfocused/unmotivated students can be an enormous time sink

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Students & Time

Help them manage their time– it will help you manage your time– it’s part of training a good research student

Share these ideas and your own thoughts with them

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Students & Time : meetings

Setting meeting expectations with students– think about the role of meetings

• the weekly meeting vs. a project meeting

– talk about what you expect from them– give them ownership and responsibility for the

meeting

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Students & Time : strength in numbers

Build a network of support – Don’t be the bottleneck

Foster student to student interactions

Exploit co-advising relationships– lots of additional benefit here for you and student

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Any good tips out there?

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Any questions?