In early 2021, I hit a rut in my studies. Although I had been productive early in my graduate career, my long hours and hard work were no longer translating into success in the laboratory, and I felt hopeless about achieving my goals.
As I began to search for the cause of my struggles, I became increasingly aware that my "quiet time" at the lab bench was anything but. Instead of thinking about science, I was watching television or interacting with social media on my smartphone. Although I could mask this inefficiency (低效率) with longer hours, my work felt disorganized. Through reflection, I came to understand my problem.
To make a change, I reduced my connectivity by using a basic mobile phone without an Internet connection during work hours, and removing unnecessary apps from my smartphone when I did use it. Things didn't go smoothly in the beginning, but with time, I started reading papers during long experiments, and began a habit of writing in my down time. These practices have already made success: I am currently preparing a review article for publication with my adviser. I have also felt more engaged in meetings – coming better prepared, asking questions and taking hand-written notes. Perhaps most importantly, I have felt my anxiety about work efficiency disappear and that my disorganized work-life relationship is traded for one with clearer boundaries.
Changing my smartphone habits has also created challenges. Not all my friends have been supportive of my reduced connectivity, and I have missed messages on communication services. Yet these problems have been a small price to pay for increased productivity. So if you find yourself in this situation, I encourage you to build down time and uninterrupted study into your schedule, which could be significant for your success.
