Your basket is currently empty!
Calm productivity for academics
Category: Building Momentum
-
Deranged pleasure of email management
There’s something deeply, almost embarrassingly pleasurable about declaring an entire day dedicated to email management. The unsubscribing, the brutal deletion, the methodical filing of correspondence that’s been lurking for months. It’s the kind of day where you roll up your sleeves and prepare to wrestle your inbox into submission.
-
[Note] Good writing is essentially rewriting
“Most readers underestimate the amount of rewriting it usually takes to produce spontaneous reading. Roald Dahl, the popular children’s writer, states, “By the time I’m nearing the end of a story, the first part will have been reread and altered and corrected at least 150 times…Good writing is essentially rewriting.” – Donald Murray
-
[Note] Specify concrete actions
“Your goal, for example, shouldn’t be to get your next academic paper accepted into a better journal, as it doesn’t specify a concrete action you can schedule and execute. A better approach might be to focus on banking 15 hours of deep work on your paper per week: this you can control, and it’s likely…
-
Presenting research without over-reaching
Academic presentations often suffer from overstated claims that undermine credibility rather than strengthen impact. Effective presentations acknowledge limitations whilst clearly articulating specific contributions. Using precise, qualified language and positioning work within proper scope demonstrates scholarly integrity. This balanced approach—presenting genuine strengths without exaggeration—typically earns more respect than grand claims and allows colleagues to recognise broader…
-
Crafting engaging academic presentations
Creating effective academic presentations requires understanding your audience, establishing clear motivation, and simplifying visual elements. Practice thoughtfully to build confidence, especially when presenting in a non-native language. By focusing on clarity and engagement, researchers can successfully share their work in ways that resonate across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
-
[Note] Write daily with shared goals
“One study suggests that academics who write daily and set goals with someone weekly write nearly ten times as many pages as those without regular writing habits.” – Pat Thomson
-
The power of lowering your standards
Rigid “every day” habits often fail due to psychological pressure. A more forgiving “daily-ish” approach paradoxically leads to better consistency. By lowering perfectionist standards in academic work—writing, email, reading, and planning—you create mental space for meaningful progress while being kinder to yourself.
-
[Note] Build a life around mastery and mattering
“…we live in a world full of options for mastery and mattering. Unfortunately, the cultural current is flowing strongly in the opposite direction. Few people—perhaps nobody, unless you live in a monastery—are immune to the vicissitudes of modern life. But most of us have at least some agency to fight back with our actions. The…
-
[Note] Can parents in academia “Have it all”
“…how can we presume that parenthood detracts from one’s professionalism, when, in reality, it often amplifies it?”
-
[Note] Why do we all work such long hours?
“So with the sector facing yet another financial crisis, do we all just get on the grindset straight away? Put your snowflake-y demands for a work-life balance on the back burner. Take one for the team. Pull that working weekend, that all-nighter. Let’s face it, you’re not even going to do anything as a result…
-
Stop using email as a to do list
Using your email inbox as a to do list seems convenient but creates a chaotic system where other people’s priorities dictate your workflow. Learn how to separate email communication from task management with a simple approach that helps academics regain control of their daily priorities.