I was going through a interview with Shou Zi Show, the CEO of Tiktok in “WIRED” recently. Show was confronted with harsh reality of the excessive use of Tiktok and the consequences. It was a friendlier version of the 6 hour marathon grilling of Shou in the US congress. From my perspective as an emerging musician, I believe TikTok is pushing creators to produce content that’s instantly appealing. It binds the creators with the race to grab that 15 seconds of the user. It is a race for the attention span of its 1.7 billion user. The interviewer presented with an interesting analogy. Tiktok with make the previous generation of artist obsolete, similar to how the era of music videos diminished the prominence of radio artists.

“Video Killed the radio stars”, song by The Buggles.

As I was scrolling down the magazine, (yes, I belong to the generation which has increasingly rendered papers obsolete) I had an epiphany. Similar to Tiktok bombarding us with stream of videos every 15 seconds, the current researchers are also faced with never ending streams of information, diverging their attention from the pressing task at hand.

💡Pseudo Productivity 📱

A recurring challenge I encounter during my PhD is what I call ‘pseudo productivity.’ What do I mean by that? This involves immersing oneself in tasks that appear productive but ultimately don’t contribute to one’s overarching goals. For instance, have you ever found yourself caught in any of these cycles?

• Meticulously planning, yet accomplishing little to nothing.

• Creating vibrant notes, yet failing to remember any of the content.

• Browsing for research papers online, yet returning empty-handed without any valuable findings.

To escape this cycle and ramp up my productivity, I often tell myself to remain motivated and to work diligently. Yet, this approach seems ineffective.

Because in the words on psychologist Joseph R. Ferrari,

Telling someone who procrastinates to buy a weekly planner is like telling someone with chronic depression to just cheer up.’ (Ferrari, Joseph R. Still procrastinating: The no regrets guide to getting it done. Turner Publishing Company, 2010.)

One of the way one can break free of this “pseudo productive” loop is by implementing the revolutionary idea conceived by the founder of Toyota Sakichi Toyoda. In moments of entrapment within such a cycle, I try to prompt myself with “why” five times. This method was employed in Toyota’s factories; whenever an error occurred, the workers were instructed to delve into the “why” five times to uncover the root cause. The idea is to remind myself the very why I started doing a work in the first place.

However, I have realized that adhering to a structured approach is more effective in keeping my PhD on course than any other strategy. One of the biggest game changing tips I have discovered lately is the method of time blocking.

💡 Time blocking 📆

Extensively planning my day ahead and adhering to a timetable has been instrumental in steering clear of any distraction, that comes in my way. Even when I am overwhelmed with streams of information, I still have a schedule to follow and task to complete, which in some sense encourage me to avoid going into the loophole of information.

 

Image: A screenshot from my calendar.

💡 Eliminating the problem at its source. 📵

One of the methods I have discovered very effective in research life in ”focused mode” on iPhone.

I have curated a personalized system within the “Focused Mode” settings, where I have carefully selected a handful of important contacts to be allowed through when this mode is active. This ensures that I am reachable by key individuals without being overwhelmed by calls.

Additionally, I have granted permission to a few productivity apps, which aligns with my goal of maintaining a productive environment. These apps are likely essential tools for your research, providing functionalities like note-taking, scheduling, or data analysis.

The automation of Focused Mode activation is particularly noteworthy. By setting it to turn on automatically upon my arrival at the laboratory, I have streamlined my workflow, allowing me to dive into work without the need to manually adjust my phone settings.

This method showcases a strategic approach to technology management, ensuring that one’s research time is protected from unnecessary interruptions while still keeping one connected to crucial communications.

That’s all for the current email. Stay updated for the upcoming issues.