Increasing your productivity: The importance of solid systems and reliable routines

“Goals are for people who care about winning once. Systems are for people who care about winning repeatedly.”

– James Clear

The last couple of weeks, I have been teaching the course “Habitat Analyses for Ecologists.” The students collect their own data during three days of fieldwork. Afterwards, they process these data in a series of practical sessions. My module in the course concerns forest productivity, in which the students determine the amount of biomass at their fieldwork location. All calculations are done in Excel. Every year, I would check the results by going through the Excel-files of all eight groups. It generally took me a few hours to redo calculations and identify potential errors. This year, I decided to write a script (in the programming language R) to do the calculations for me. I just enter the Excel-file and the script provides me with the correct numbers. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I finished checking the results of all groups within one hour. Wonderful!

This experience reminded my of a quote by James Clear: “Goals are for people who care about winning once. Systems are for people who care about winning repeatedly.” Indeed, having solid systems can drastically increase your productivity, allowing you to reach your goals faster.

Writing Systems

Throughout the years, I have developed a few systems to increase my writing output. Overall, I have written more than 500 blog posts for my own website (Avian Hybrids) and more than 100 blog posts for the British Ornithologists Union (BOUblog). The secret behind these numbers is quite straightforward: a solid system for structuring and writing a blog post.

Let me start with the structure. Most of my blog posts are summaries of scientific papers and follow the same structure with three main sections.

• Section 1: Introducing the broader context
• Section 2: Brief description of the methods and results of the paper
• Section 3: Discussion of the results (sometimes including my own opinion)

And that is it. Whenever I am reading a paper to cover in a blog post, I already have this structure in mind. This way of working also provides the scaffold for my second system: writing the blog post.

• Step 1: Read the paper and highlight relevant information
• Step 2: Write down the most important insights from the paper
• Step 3: Outline the blog post (following the structure above)
• Step 4: Write the first draft of the blog post
• Step 5: Edit the blog post

This series of steps helps me to get into the writing flow. Often, the most difficult part of writing is getting started (see also this blog post). Having a clear system can help to overcome this first hurdle.

Reliable Routines

However, having a reliable system is not sufficient for increased productivity. You also need to consistently apply the system (and improve it when necessary). This is where routines come in. People underestimate the power of routines. Indeed, a routine is often regarded as boring or “being in a rut”. I would disagree. I love routines.

During teaching periods, it is easy to develop a reliable routine. The scheduled lectures and practical sessions force me to follow a strict pattern. When I am not teaching – during periods that I like to call “research periods” – it is more difficult to develop a consistent working pattern. In a previous blog post (on getting things done), I have outlined my system with three time blocks:

• Mornings (09:00-12:00) for difficult and urgent tasks
• Afternoon (13:00-16:00) for reading, writing and analyses
• Evening (after 16:00) for finishing certain tasks

But apart from having routines at work, it is also important to develop routines at home. You cannot be productive all the time. Taking time to rest is equally (and probably even more) important. When I am not attending social events, I have a standard evening routine. I make dinner and watch a series on Netflix (currently in season 3 of the Blacklist). Next, I read a popular science book (now reading “The Dragons of Eden” by Carl Sagan) before going for an evening walk or doing some exercise. After a quick shower, I do some more reading in bed (preferably a fiction book, now reading “End of Watch” by Stephen King). Rinse and repeat.

Why the obsession with productivity?

Implementing systems and routines might increase your productivity and free up more time. At this point, it can be tempting to fill up this free time with new projects. I would advice you to resist this urge and use this time for more meaningful activities, such as spending time with friends and family.

Our society seems obsessed with productivity (see for example this YouTube-video). But why do we need to be so productive? What is the point of writing one more blog post or publishing one more scientific paper? It seems that we are never satisfied with our accomplishments. There is always more to do. It reminds me of this story by Kurt Vonnegut when he met Joseph Heller (the author of Catch-22) at a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island:

I said, “Joe, how does it make you feel
to know that our host only yesterday
may have made more money
than your novel ‘Catch-22’
has earned in its entire history?”
And Joe said, “I’ve got something he can never have.”
And I said, “What on earth could that be, Joe?”
And Joe said, “The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”

So, try to increase your productivity with solid systems and reliable routines. But also realize when you have done enough.

You always own the option of having no opinion

From a cartoon about books to wise words by Marcus Aurelius.

Last week, I visited Amsterdam. I travelled to the Dutch capital by train, walked around the city and explored several book stores (the Book Exchange is always a highlight). All in all, it was a nice day. The best part was – perhaps somewhat surprisingly – reading on the train. For some reason, I can focus better in a slightly noisy environment. It is great to just dive into a book and forget about your surroundings (see also this blog post about the joy of reading).

A few days later, a cartoon by Tom Gauld caught my attention on Twitter (also known as X). The drawing is based on the famous Titanic-scene in which Rose (Kate Winslet) survives on a floating door whereas Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) succumbs to the cold water (and if you are wondering: Yes, Jack would have fit on that door, but it would not have stayed afloat). In the cartoon, Rose prefers her books over Jack. I can certainly relate to her. Books are awesome. But it also made me reflect on something else: opinions.

Opinions

The jump from this cartoon to “opinions” might be unexpected, so let me explain. You could see Jack as the embodiment of other people’s opinions. Everyone seems to have their opinion about a certain topic or current debate. Gender identity and biological sex. Bird names for birds. The balance between activism and science. Etcetera. All these topics are definitely important, but I don’t have a clear opinion about all of them. The debate might not so relevant for me, or I just don’t find the discussion interesting enough to delve into the arguments. In the end, however, you don’t need to have an opinion about everything. As Marcus Aurelius wrote in Meditations:

You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can’t control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.

Fundamental Science

“Leave them alone.” I think this is great advice. We are constantly being bombarded by controversial stories, opinion pieces in newspapers and rants on social media. It is easy to get sucked into these debates. Some people might enjoy the discussions while others prefer to focus on topics that peak their interest. I belong to the latter group. I prefer to sit on my little island, exploring topics that I enjoy learning about. Occasionally, I will read a book about a less interesting topic – it is still a good idea to read widely – but I mostly end up disappointed and immediately start looking for a more exciting read.

For example, I recently read “The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace-Wells. The book was okay, but it did not really resonate with me. The political side of the climate change debate just doesn’t interest me that much. Later on, I read “Forces of Nature” by Brain Cox and Andrew Cohen. Learning more about the fundamental forces that have shaped our universe was wonderful. My excitement for science skyrocketed again. It is obvious to me that I enjoy fundamental science (reading about it as well as doing it). So, that is what I will focus on.

Let others have their endless discussions, I will retreat to my floating island of books where I can learn about quantum mechanics, the history of evolutionary theory and many other scientific topics. As the actor James Pierce once said: “Life is far too short to pursue things that do not genuinely interest you.” Follow your interests, not the opinions of others. Just like Jack in the cartoon, let the opinions drift away…

Three simple rules for academic success

There is more to academia than hard work.

Academia can be a competitive and though world. It is a continuous struggle of acquiring grants and publishing high-impact papers (whatever that means) while teaching inspiring courses and supervising students. Managing all these tasks requires hard work and I don’t think there is an easy solution. You will find many tips on how to “work smarter, not harder” (and some are certainly useful). In the end, however, you still have to put in the hours.

I have now worked in academia for over ten years. After obtaining my PhD at Wageningen University and doing two postdocs in Sweden, I returned to the Netherlands for a lecturer position. It has been a wonderful journey with ups and downs. I have certainly worked hard (while always trying to keep a healthy life-work balance), but I would argue that three “rules” have been key during my academic path.

1. Be Kind

The competitive nature of academia attracts ambitious people that would do anything to reach their goals. You have probably heard stories of bullying professors, scientific fraud and hidden agendas. Luckily, I have only experienced one occasion where someone tried to pressure me into working harder, as I described in a previous blog post. It can be easy to lose hope in the academic system and just go along in a toxic environment. Instead, I have always tried to be kind and respectful towards colleagues. Being kind attracts similar people, resulting in a relaxed and fun working environment. A little kindness can have big consequences (see video below).

Being kind also extends to teaching and supervising students. When a student doesn’t understand a difficult concept after countless attempts of explaining it, you might become frustrated and lash out verbally. Alternatively, you could take a deep breath, remain patient and try to explain it again. Being understanding and encouraging creates a safe and inclusive environment where students can thrive. Even if it takes more time and energy than you anticipated.

2. Be Reliable

Scientific research and teaching are team efforts (see also this blog post). Working with other people not only requires kindness, but also involves being a reliable colleague. Throughout my career, I have always tried to deliver what I promised. Replying to e-mails in time. Providing feedback on a manuscript before the deadline. Making time for students when they have questions. Do the work and be reliable.

However, it can be dangerous to take on too many tasks. Your reliability will suffer when you are too busy. So, learn how to say no (not an easy skill to learn) and be honest when you are dealing with an overcommitted schedule. We all struggle with saying no. Your colleagues will understand when you decline their request. If you find it difficult to say no, you can have a look at this blog post.

3. Be Yourself

Over the years, I have received a lot of unsolicited advice: “You should apply for this position”, “You should focus on this research topic” or “You should get involved in this project.” The advice is often well-intended, but in the end you should do what you want. Don’t let other people tell you what to do. Be yourself.

There is also the idea that you should take “strategic decisions” to have a successful academic career. I disagree. I would argue that this is a myth. I have rarely considered “strategy” when making decisions in my career. I have mainly focused on what I enjoy doing. To be honest, however, my move for a postdoc at Uppsala University was partly strategic. Working at a renowned evolutionary biology department seemed like a perfect entrance for a successful career in scientific research. Ironically, this postdoc helped me to discover that I prefer teaching over doing research. That is why I opted for a teaching position in the Netherlands. This experience taught me that you can thrive anywhere, as long as you can do what you enjoy. Don’t overthink and focus too much on strategic career decisions. Prioritize happiness.

Be kind. Be reliable. By yourself.