Missed deadlines, avoidable errors, complaints and conflicts are the things that most people would want to avoid, but unfortunately are having to endure on a regular basis. The impact of ineffective time management on any organisation is clear, however the impact on the individual may be less obvious - particularly if they are using short-term coping strategies that seem to work, such as working excessive hours. Developing skills in effective time management can therefore have a positive impact on your productivity, and can help to ensure that your remain healthy and motivated.

Goals of this course:

• Know how to use powerful time planning methods
• Know how to balance professional and private life
• Know how to control your inner state using concentration and relaxation techniques
• Exchange of experiences with other participant

Fundamental requirements for good time management during your doctorate:

• Making decisions and developing initiative
• Is my research topic small enough: What exactly do I want to examine?
• How can I motivate myself on the path to completing it? How does this path look like?
• Strategies for efficient and effective use of time
• Time planning and the research project: master plan, weekly and daily planning
• Setting priorities (Eisenhower Method, Pareto Principle)
• Finding your balance: research project – job – private life
• Getting rid of time-killers
• Using high concentration techniques (silent hour, Pomodoro Technique)
• Controlling your inner state through relaxation techniques

Methods:

Trainer input; individual, partner, and group work; written and creative focusing exer-cises; relaxation exercises; guided and free sequences in which participants can develop images; brief presentations by participants; group reflection. Highly interactive online seminar using zoom technology with a lot of small group work.

Photograph: Marta Mayer, DESY