I recently attended the School of Information and Communication Studies (SICS) Research Retreat, which was held in person on the Wagga Wagga campus. During that time, I picked up some great research tips from my colleagues. So, I thought I’d share them with you:

• Work with good people and the right team;
• Do research that matters to someone other than you;
• Be confident;
• Don’t let your email be your to-do list;
• Don’t start your day with emails – do 30-60mins of research first;
• Plan it out first and backward map;
• Be honest with yourself about productivity and capacity;
• Take one day a week to do things you enjoy;
• Keep an open mind;
• Develop a thick skin;
• Keep a research journal to reflect back on;
• Celebrate your progress and your wins, no matter how small;
• Establish ‘smart hours’ and stick to them;
• Use technology to help you project manage – like a Teams channel just for you with all your things;
• Use alerts for literature, such as Google Scholar;
• Visually track publication goals, Kaban style; and finally,
• Be creative.

It was really affirming to see these things reflected in my colleagues’ top tips for research because it made me feel like I was on my way to developing the skills I need to be a productive researcher. There were a few suggestions that really stood out to me, which I have started to trial, including:

Establish ‘smart hours’ and stick to them

As an ADHDer with other chronic illnesses, I was already aware of how my energy levels fluctuate throughout the week and even throughout the day. What I hadn’t really considered was how I might need to work with these levels rather than trying to work through them. Hearing my colleagues share their experiences around productivity and energy levels helped me to realise that this is something that it’s ok for me to learn how to manage and use to my advantage. So, I have since reflected on this and come up with a plan, which leads me to my next key takeaway.

Don’t let your emails be your to-do list, and start your day with research first.

I think it’s only natural for us to sit at our computers first thing in our workday and open emails. I’m not really sure where this collective approach to starting our day came from, but it certainly seems like common practice (or at least, that’s my unfounded, unsupported opinion). To have one of my colleagues suggest something as simple as “don’t look at your inbox first thing” felt groundbreaking and freeing.

Since then, I have been spending the first hour of my day reading academic literature and getting my brain thinking. I then try to move into a ‘flow state’ where I work on something research-based (or even scholarly activity-ish) until lunchtime. It’s only after lunch, when my mind needs something lighter to do (although that really depends on what’s in your inbox these days) that I allow myself the chance to aim for inbox zero.

When I first started doing this, I felt like maybe the sky would fall down due to me not seeing important emails and getting back to people first thing. What I’ve learnt is that the sky has not fallen while I’ve been delaying accessing my inbox and that if my colleagues need me, they can reach me through Teams.

I have also learnt that by easing myself into my research by doing some reading that leads to thinking, which leads to action, I am easing my transition into a tricky task, which is something I know many other ADHDers will resonate with. I am essentially giving my brain the chance to work up to the hard thing, and I have been so much more productive because of this. Who would have thought that a simple change in when I do things might have a big impact?

On the days starting with meetings, I am still trying to figure out a way to establish a transition plan, but I am trialling things and am confident I’ll find something that works.

And finally, visually track your productivity and celebrate your wins, big or small

Seeing what I’ve got planned, what’s in the works, and what’s finished has been a real help in making me feel like I am getting somewhere. Knowing that my colleagues could feel a little stuck when things were pending review/approval or even in the weeds with writing made me feel a lot better about the times I have felt like the proverbial hamster on the wheel. Since displaying my projects in a simple Kaban style (i.e., three columns: 1) Not yet started, 2) In progress, 3) Completed), I have felt more in control of my priorities and projects, and like I am getting somewhere. It’s such a simple strategy, but it was great to be reminded how effective this is.

So, what do you think? Do you have other tips that I’ve missed? I would love to know!

Big thank you to my colleagues for their generosity and kindness. I am so grateful to be learning about research from and with you!

*Note: This blog post has been proofread by Grammarly. I use this tool to check for grammatical and spelling errors. I do not use it to generate content.

**Header image: I took this photo while on campus in Wagga Wagga, overlooking the town.