Birdbrain

3 weeks! It has been 3 weeks since my words graced the pages of this blog. 3 weeks since the creative juices flowed. Today, after 3 weeks of work, work, work, the right side of my brain went from gently poking the left side to full on drop kicking it. What an attention whore.

I've accomplished quite a bit since taking on some productivity training. In the past 3 weeks, I've completed a project protocol and ethics application, peer reviewed some articles and written a couple of my own. I haven't mastered the whole 'saying no' thing and did take on some more work, but I'm dealing with it all by planning my life more carefully.

One major issue keeps nagging at me, however. Turns out my brain is like Swiss cheese. I'm a birdbrain. I can't remember anything. Strike that - I can remember stuff, but the truth is that no one cares about the status of the Brangeloonies or Tom Cruise & the Femme-bot. To ensure that my mind has room for work-stuff, and cares less for gossip-stuff, I'm going to attempt an 'annotated bibliography'.

You see, an annotated bibliography is a way to keep all the things you read in order. Useful for such tasks as thesis writing (check), research (check) and teaching (check), it can help you to sort and evaluate the topic you are dealing with. For me, that topic is pharmacy - lots published, most of it boring and unmemorable. However, despite this, the available information is no less important to the fate of the world. Therefore, I do believe that an annotated bibliography will assist in keeping the information in perspective.

This week, I vow to complete (or find) an annotated bibliography of NSAIDs and arthritis (including CV and GI risk). To do this, I'll have to find an appropriate format or, perhaps, a useful website.

Exciting times ahead!

You got the right stuff, baby

The return of NKOTB (was a fan, may be a fan again - shamefully not ruling it out) has coincided with Day 4 of 'Getting More Done'. Today, the focus is on only doing the right stuff (baby). Today's tasks included vicious prioritization, setting objectives and getting stakeholder approval. No small feat. But with the delicious beat of a synthesizer whirling through my head, I'm up for a good look at my work and a little 'first things first'. This may require an email or two (enter: guilt journal) but mark my words, by the end of the day, it will be done.

Saying No!

If a researcher says no in her office and no one is around to hear her - does she make a sound?

Getting More Done (Day 3): My task was to say no all day long, up to a maximum of 20 times. I was both apprehensive and optimistic. The first person that asked me to do something was going to receive the following reply: 'NO, I cannot do that for you' (complete with a fist pump). However, over the entire day, not a single person asked me to do anything. Not a one. Gasp!

Okay, if I'm being totally honest with you, kind reader, people rarely ask me to do anything. My weakness is not an inability to say no. Rather, I suffer because I choose to volunteer my time in order to get experience. I make this choice repeatedly at the expense of all other projects. For whatever reason (enter: self-help books), I do this so consistently that I've taken on too much. Yet, when faced with the prospect of a project that would be 'good for me', I willingly jump in with two feet.

So, instead, I will work on dealing with the guilt of not taking on anymore. If my dear friend Mr. O'Connell is correct in his suggestions for getting more done, I would be wise to start my own Guilt Journal. In this journal, I will record i) the times I felt guilty, ii) what happened, iii) when, and best of all, iv) with whom. In doing this, he assures me, I'll be 'reconsidering my value system' and perhaps build up some resistance.

So, today's tasks, watch out for guilt and get started on Day 4 - 'Only do the right stuff'.

Operation: Get your ass in gear

This weekend, Husband and I spent an afternoon perusing the business/self-help section of our local mega-chain bookstore. After sorting through a myriad of tempting titles (Am-bitch-ion, a.k.a. Ambition is not a dirty word; The No Asshole Rule; Death to All Sacred Cows), I settled on Fergus O'Connell's 'How to Get Things Done: Seven Days to Achieving More'.

Last night, I plowed through Day 1 (a little introspection to kick off the week) and made a list of all my projects, appointments, trips and extraneous activities that need to be completed before September 1. I then estimated the time involved and compared it to the total time available. Shock of all shocks - I've got 67 days of work to complete in 40 work days.

Sh*t!!!

If only. If only I'd started this a month ago when I had a total of 60 work days available. If only I'd known when to say no. If only I could hide on some secluded Australian beach somewhere while I perfected my surfing skills....

At this point, in hopeless frustration, I stared at my spreadsheet and mentally banged my forehead against the kitchen table over and over and over again. However, this is all about taking control and GETTING THINGS DONE. So I have two choices. Get things done or continue procrastinating to avoid the elephant-shaped fear of failure that sits on my chest.

So day 1 (Sunday) - I took inventory on my life, measured my time, prioritized my projects and took a long, hard look in the mirror.

Day 2 ( Monday) - I made a list of today's activities (including the following: 1) what needs to be written; 2) what needs to be emailed; and 3) other time wasters). I also updated my calender, revisited my filing system and developed a spreadsheet to watch the time spent daily, weekly and monthly.

Short Weeks

It's a short week this week. After 4 beach days, a tan and 8 hours of sleep, this 3-day week is primed for some results. Keeping with the summer theme, the days for early to rise, early to bed are here.

Tomorrow, the plan - wake up at 6am. Get some form of exercise. Following some cereal and coffee, at work by 8am. Aside from some mid-day meetings (read: aesthetics appointment), work should continue until 4pm.

Task: finish project protocol and ethics submission. End of day - economic evaluation to assess need for data.