By Lilian H. Hill
In today's fast-paced academic environment, juggling multiple responsibilities while maintaining a consistent publication record can be an uphill battle. Between teaching, administrative duties, mentorship, and personal commitments, finding time to conduct research and publish can seem nearly impossible. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, as in the popular meme in the image below.
For tenure-track faculty, the pressure to publish is intense. A strong publication record is often essential for securing tenure and promotion. Faculty on the tenure-track must manage a multitude of other duties—teaching, grading, committee work, and the daily challenges of adjusting to a new role—which can easily cause writing responsibilities to be postponed and neglected. The fact that the tenure-track career years coincide with prime child-bearing years for female faculty members compounds the problem (Mason et al., 2013). These days, teaching-track faculty members also report pressure to publish while carrying a higher teaching load.
With strategic planning and effective time management, it is possible to balance these demands successfully. Here are some tips and insights on how to manage academic multitasking and ensure your research efforts do not fall by the wayside.
Examine Tenure Requirements
Understanding what “counts” for tenure and/or promotion will ensure that your efforts are beneficial. Activities, including grants and publications, considered important for tenure are discipline specific. It is important to become informed to structure your time most effectively. It can be discouraging to receive a negative annual or three-year review and learn that you have invested time in tasks that do not further your career.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Once you familiarize yourself with what activities are valued, identify your primary academic goals. Determine what is most important to you—publishing papers, securing research funding, or advancing a specific project. Pursue a single research agenda so your efforts will yield positive results.
Divide large goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This makes them less intimidating and easier to tackle. Set clear, achievable deadlines for each task. Many people use a whiteboard to keep these priorities visible.
Master Time Management
Allocate specific time slots for different activities throughout your day. Dedicate uninterrupted periods to writing and research. Treat these blocks as non-negotiable appointments. Avoid multitasking, where you switch back and forth among different types of tasks. Research on brain development and concentration indicates that dividing attention between multiple tasks reduces productivity, decreases efficiency, and increases the likelihood of making mistakes (Pace, 2017).
Aim to write every day, even if only for brief periods of time. Consistent writing helps maintain momentum and keeps you engaged with your work. Keep a notebook with you so you can jot ideas wherever you are.
Several strategies are helpful:
· Learn what time you do your best writing and avoid scheduling other activities.
· Put appointments for writing and research in your calendar and protect that time.
· Set designated times to respond to emails and turn off the notifications so that you are not tempted to look at emails as they arrive.
· Write in places other than your office on campus. In your office, you can be easily interrupted. A reserved library carrell can be a terrific location.
· If you must be in your office, learn to write with your door closed.
Learn to Write in Short Periods of Time
Many academics believe they can only write when they have several hours of dedicated time. However, this kind of time is scarce in the academic environment. With teaching, advising, reporting, and administrative responsibilities, interruptions are pervasive. Once you are engaged in a writing project, it will be on your mind. Learn to use small time periods to further the project. In 15-20 minutes, you can draft research questions, edit prior writing, or further a conceptual framework.
Efficient Writing Strategies
Start with a detailed outline of your paper. This provides a roadmap and helps organize your thoughts, ensuring a logical flow. Focus on getting your ideas down on paper without worrying about perfection. You can edit the work later once the initial draft is complete. Anne Lamott (1995) says that every writer writes awful first drafts (well, she uses another word you can imagine). Accomplished writers then revise as many times as needed. Schedule specific times for revising and editing your work. This allows you to polish your writing and improve clarity and coherence.
Leverage Technology
Use software like EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley to manage citations and references efficiently, saving time and reducing errors. Tools like Google Docs, Overleaf, and Zoom facilitate real-time collaboration with co-authors, making it easier to integrate feedback and contributions.
Build Support Networks
Work with colleagues to share the load. Collaborating can bring in new perspectives and distribute the workload more evenly. If available, delegate tasks such as data collection or preliminary literature reviews to research assistants. This frees up your time for writing and critical analysis.
Integrate Research, Teaching, and Service
Align your research interests with your teaching. Design courses or assignments that complement your research, allowing you to advance your work while fulfilling teaching responsibilities. You can also seek service responsibilities congruent with your research agenda, although this is more difficult. Synergies among the major components of the academic job will increase your knowledge and make you more efficient.
Seek Mentorship
Senior colleagues can share a wealth of practical information. Mentors can advise you about journals or publishers in your discipline, strategies for grant procurement, and teaching resources. They can provide valuable insights, feedback, and guidance to help you navigate challenges and improve your work. Remember that mentorship is a relationship, so choose mentors with whom you are compatible. Mentorship is also an exchange, so be mindful of what you can do for the mentor in return.
Practice Self-Care
Clearly define the boundaries between your work and personal life. Protect your personal time and ensure you have regular breaks to recharge. Incorporate activities that promote physical and mental well-being into your routine. Regular exercise, mindfulness practices, and hobbies can help manage stress and improve focus.
Take Advantage of Coaching
Individuals trained as professional coaches provide a safe space in which to discuss your career and life choices. A coach you employ will not have a vested interest in decisions you make in the same way that a mentor in the same university might have. Coaching can help you determine the path you want to take in your life and career and actions that will make that happen. In choosing a coach, inquire about their training and determine if they are certified. For the most benefit, choose a coach who has experience in the academic setting. For example, Lilian H. Hill retired from a successful academic career and is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. She offers Coaching for Academics as one of the services of SCOC Consulting.
References
Lamott, A. (1995). Bird by bird: Some instructions on writing and life. Anchor Books.
