5 Academic Time Management and Productivity Secrets Revealed

The world of academia is intense. There are so many big and small components of being a grad student or faculty member that it’s almost impossible to manage it all. In this blog post, I’m sharing my secrets, hacks, and tips for managing my time and being productive as a full time academic.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

When you lack motivation to continue working: Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique uses a timer to break down work sessions into small intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short 5 minute breaks. As academics, 25 minutes may feel too short. Depending on the task, I typically work for 30 minutes and take 5 minute breaks or work for 45 minutes and take 10 minute breaks. This techniques keeps you from feeling completely drained and burned out after two hours of working and calling it a day. After each break, you will feel a bit refreshed and ready to take on the next task. It’s a way to game-ify your productivity. The key is to only set one goal and work on only one task during each pomodoro so that you are singularly focused on one achievable task.

When technology is a distraction: Time Cubes

If you struggle with being productive because you get distracted by social media, texts, or emails, I highly recommend using time cubes. They help to keep track of how long you are working without having to rely on technology. I like to use them when I’m implementing the Pomodoro technique. I use this brand and I love it!

When you forget what needs to get done: Weekly Planning Session

Every week, I have a planning session with myself where I write out all of the tasks that I want to get done each week. Every day, before I start working, I check the results of my planning session and create a to-do list for the day. And at the end of the day, I create a to-do list for the next day. That way, I’m not worried and thinking about what I SHOULD be doing after hours. It’s out of my brain and written/typed somewhere permanent.

Pro Tip: Prioritize your to-do list with the most important tasks at the top.

I’ve created a worksheet/weekly planning session template that walks you through how to do that. Sign up below to download the worksheet and learn more about Project Management for Academics.

When you want to keep track of your tasks on the go: Trello/Asana:

Trello and Asana are digital organization/project management tools that allow you to keep track of your life and work. I love them because they both sync your computer to your phone for easy scheduling and planning on the go. I actually walk you through how to use both of these platforms in my program Project Management for Academics which is available now.

When you need a complete time management system: PM for Academics

In my framework, Project Management for Academics, I walk you through how to manage all components of your life by getting a bird’s eye view of the major aspects of your life (spaces) and slowly zooming in to the day to day tasks to help you intentionally make progress toward your goals.

In Project Management for Academics, I’ll help you break down your goals into projects, workflows, and tasks through my project management framework. Then I will show you how to IMPLEMENT it in a paper planner as well as online project management tools, Trello and Asana.

Because everyone is different. Some people like to plan on paper while others prefer to organize digitally. I actually do both so I’m giving you both options in my program.

Project Management for academics has been bundled inside of a super program called FOCUS. It’s an accountability and productivity program for grad students and academics.