Time Management Balancing Research, Teaching and Service

1. Time ManagementBalancing Research, Teaching and Service Matthew Dwyer Laboratory for Empirically-based Software Quality Research Department of Computer Science University of Nebraska - Lincoln

2. 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!

3. Basic Principles Be realistic Actively plan your time Stick to the plan consistently

4. 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!

5. 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

6. 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?

7. 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

8. Time Management Strategies Focus your efforts Creating time Using time well Students and time

9. 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

10. 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

11. Focus your efforts : on impact emphasize high quality research choose service where you can make a difference teach to prepare your research students

12. Creating Time : N O 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”

13. 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, …

14. Using Time : doubling up Teaching 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Any good tips out there?

21. Any questions?