Stuck in the lab again, for the third night in a row. I have never done three in a row I think I might just break a record. I cannot sleep, because the lab is super crammed and uncomfortable and I am afraid that someone will come in and take my belongings, I am afraid that I will fall sleep for so long that I will miss something so important that will ruin this semester, especially at a time when I beginning to see the light at the end of a long dark tunnel that has been both physically, emotionally and mentally draining.
Why not go home? Because home is an hour drive away and I am stuck working on multiple projects that lasts from 8 in the morning to 3 in the morning. Have to get up to school again at 9 am. Not much time left in my time zone. Should I go to sleep? Might just wake up in a lab full of people and look embarrassed. Should I stay awake? I will just wind up falling asleep in the lecture which is ten times worse!
But that's not the point I am asking this question. I am asking this question because I am the only one left in the lab. Eyes wide open from dusk till dawn, headed for a big crash. Can't form a full sentence, my mind is going blank. I am starting to wonder if it is just me. What is it about me that forces me to wonder the halls at 4 in the morning to go to the bathroom to brush my teeth? What forces me to drink energy drink at 11 pm at night and wonder how long before I will have my first heart attack? Can you call an ambulance over the internet, my phone is dead.
How do academicians view the subject of sleep when things left undone, problem left unsolved swirls around your mind? How to be productive, meet deadlines, and get adequate sleep?
Answer
There are short-term and long-term approaches. Sometimes, a lack of sleep is necessary because of, eg, unexpected and valuable time on expensive valuable equipment X. Or, because the grant really is due today and you didn't budget time correctly. Or because process X has to be babysat and really does take 72 hours. For those short-term upsets, coffee and lots of water works, followed by about twice as much rest as the time you missed sleeping. Never pretend you can make time up on your long-term schedule by missing sleep. For processes, that part just sucks, either try to work in shifts with another student or set up a nearby sleeping area. If you're gadget-friendly, simple setups can often improve efficiency by allowing uninterrupted sleep.*
Long-term, missing sleep does not work for most people. Planning can help a lot. So, start by figuring out everything you want to do, estimate how long it should take, and then prioritize. Start by filling in an 8 hour workday and try to get everything on your list done. Listing tasks such as 'try X' works better than 'solve Y'. For most people, it won't come close to happening in 8 hours. Next, measure the ratio of estimated to actual time and use that to scale your future estimates. Keep reviewing.
Next, find a weekly hour limit that keeps you healthy. Then, optimize for efficiency. (commuting 2 hours?? move. Reading StackOverFlow instead of working? Um... Stressed, not getting much done? - Try the gym.)
Finally, after a few iterations, compare your productivity to your peer group while adjusting for your career goals and choose realistically. If you aren't close to living healthily while being as or more productive as people likely to achieve your career goals, it would be reasonable to rethink them.
*One of my friends moved into his office. There was a lab shower, so it wasn't bad - and saved a ton on housing. Add a lockable door == no problem.
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