Throughout gradate school, a key member on my Ph.D. committee was notoriously late to all of my qualifying engagements (over an hour in some cases). On one such event, I remember pacing back and forth, in a freshly pressed business suit with a white shirt, in front of 4 committee members, trying to make neutral small talk without saying something that would spark a Spanish Inquisition when the “grilling” began…all while trying not to sweat.
After waiting for twenty minutes, my research advisor took a deep breath and said, “Well, why don’t you go by his office and see if he just forgot.” The other committee members chuckled at this suggestion, and I left the classroom to find the missing professor. En route, I attempted to hide my anger by repeatedly telling myself that my advisor wouldn’t have scheduled my defense if he didn’t think I couldn’t pass.
I arrived at the professor’s door, with no need to curl my fingers as they had already become a fist out of frustration. Knock, knock, knock. No answer. Knock, knock, knock. Still no answer. I retreated to the classroom, trying best to keep my composure, but every minute leading up to a defense is so tense and solemn you can actually feel your heart beating in the tips of your fingers.
Three trips to his office, two visits to the department secretaries, and 45 minutes later, the classroom door opens and in pops Mr. Dr. Punctual, with a freshly brewed mug of coffee in hand. He says in his typical weak and squeaky voice, “nice to see you all waited.” No apology.
Infuriating? Yes. Frustrating? Absolutely. “At least you passed,” my research advisor said in his office after the defense. In a utilitarian sense, he was absolutely right. But, the lack of respect was so infuriating and insulting. So, what could I do? I wrestled with this question for a few months before I arrived at a few of conclusions. First, don’t get into a stinking contest with a skunk. Nothing positive is likely to come out of complaining. Second, learn from others mistakes to make yourself a better person.
Scientists aren’t exactly known for their punctuality or real-world attentiveness, and these traits aren’t usually intended (at least in the science community). My fellow researchers were notorious for showing up late to group meetings. I had a friend in a different lab who was always 15 minutes behind schedule. When my wife and I first started dating, she had to handle the fact that I got lost in my research, didn’t have a cell phone signal in the lab, and (on a subconscious level) I didn’t care if I missed a meal on occasion. A few dozen roses later, we’re happily married.
Nevertheless, lacking punctuality is inexcusable, especially in the real world, and when I signed on as an assistant professor, I didn’t want to be “that guy” to the faculty or my students. I recognize that time is a valuable commodity, and wasting it, for most people, ranks right up there with nails on a chalkboard in the irritating category. To help combat my absent-mindedness, I’ve enlisted the services of my computer to guide me through my day. I quickly found that programs such as iCal, Google Calendar, Microsoft Entourage, or Sunbird (Firefox) can help with organization.
Personally, I use iCal to keep track of my class times, upcoming events (meetings, conferences, etc.), and important dates (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.). I sync all of my events with my Google account, which then lets me push all of the data to my Blackberry; it’s not nearly as convoluted as it sounds. In the long run, I noticed that better organization results in more productive hours.
My post is not a plug for any software, per se. Rather, it’s a subtle plea to the scientific community to push us to become better organized. I’ll leave it open to discussion and post a poll on the blog. What tips do you have to help schedule your life? Do you do you prefer software or a book-style agendas?
