======= Date Modified 31 53 2009 10:53:43 =======
======= Date Modified 31 51 2009 10:51:26 =======
Hi,
This is a truely banal topic to post on, but I write this in one of my moments of almost amusing maddness :-)
Anyone has any tips on how we can work out the best way in which to keep the worst bits of the day for mundane tasks, those which sap energy, take time, need concentration, and need doing for us to live.

E.g:

1. Dealing with bank folk (who can be polite, but lazy..)
2. Admin stuff on our jobs...
3. Little bits about rents and bills..
4. FAMILY phone calls (I must say Urrrgh now), their well intended 'understanding' of the fact that I am under pressure (and they are proud of it and will speak of my work to all relatives, especially ones whose kids are not doing PhDs) yet making continuous pleas to come visit on the other side of the globe for "even if only 5 or 6 days", even light hearted sad talk about "don't forget us here...we are still the same old people..". oh they are sweet. they made me who I am. I love them. they are SO annoying.


I counted time yesterday and realised these little things pile up, you fill forms, stand in queues, make plans, do lil bits and lo and behold, you do spend a ton of time!

Do you guys keep admin work (you personal stuff and other stuff) out of the PhD way till certain times of the week (Friday afternoons etc?)...for those who need to do some admin each day, do you keep it out of your best (intellectual) hours?

Or am I going mad :-(

I know just what you mean Phdbug. I tend to do things just when they need doing rather than spending a specific amount of time on them. Then I end up with piles of stuff in my 'to do' tray which makes me unable to concentrate on work. You are right that small mundane tasks add up and take up too much time. The thing that annoys me most is when I actually get up early raring to go with work, then open the post or check my e-mails and there is a bill or something similar which is wrong, and not my fault, but then I have to spend hours on the phone chasing it up to sort it out. I'm then in a bad mood for the rest of the day. I think all PhD students should be provided with personal assistants to deal with all the other things that we don't have time to do!

For parts 1, 2 and 3 I let them build up for a little while then assign a midweek afternoon to do it. These kinds of things easily eat up hours without me noticing (especially with the massive post office queues!) so I give them a few hours to be sorted out. Seems to be working so far and it avoids getting bogged down with them while trying to work/relax.

What about clothes washing and cleaning, etc? Thankfully I have a desk at uni, but whenever I am at home I spend so much time fussing about housework I dont get anything done.

I'm gonna add "moving house" to your list and join you in a rant.

Grr...dammit.

I do the major cleaning jobs at the weekend. Laundry does get done during the week when working from home, but it doesn't take long and I save so much time not having to mess about travelling into uni anyway. I coincide my food shopping with the days that I am on campus and walk past the shops on the way home. The dishes get washed in the evening.

It is hard though if I haven't been organised and there are things which need doing...

my biggest 'small task' is my bf!

- washing his clothes
- cooking food
- making him do some work on his phd
- tidying up around him

All while he plays ps3 and I get worried by the silent 'egg timer' of PhD funded time slipping away from his grasp (and mine!)