Time Management in the Lab: Planning for Progress, Not Panic
Why We Talk About Time
Let’s be honest: doing a PhD is hard. It’s not just the science — it’s the pressure to produce data, publish papers, meet deadlines, and somehow stay sane through it all. We’ve seen too many students around us burn out, especially in their final year, when everything seems to converge at once.
There is a minimum that every PhD project needs to deliver. And when you go about your work without planning, it’s easy to lose sight of that goal — and that’s when stress starts to build. That’s why Andreas and I decided to dedicate part of our group meetings to time management. Not because we want to add another item to the to-do list, but because we want to make the time we do spend in the lab count — and reduce the stress that comes from feeling overwhelmed.
Planning isn’t about perfection. It’s about protecting your energy, your creativity, and your ability to think clearly. And when you plan well, something surprising happens: time opens up. Suddenly, you find space in your day to tackle other tasks, reflect, or even rest.
Treat Planning as a Living Document
At Umeå University, we have to use a mandatory planning document for PhD students. We strongly encourage our students to treat it not as a formality, but as a living document — something that evolves with the project. The aim is to stay ahead, not just catch up.
One thing that’s especially important: when you plan writing tasks, always calculate more time than you think you’ll need. Everyone underestimates this at first — it’s part of the learning process. But starting with realistic expectations can make a big difference.
Involve Your Supervisor Regularly
Another essential habit: involve your supervisor regularly. While we’re deeply engaged in the project, we’re not inside it the way you are — and that distance allows us to offer perspective. I’ve made my fair share of inefficient planning decisions by trying to do everything at once. It worked out in the end, and I came out of my PhD in one piece — but developing these tools helped me stay sane during my postdoc and early PI days.
Define Your Goals — Often
One of the most powerful tools we use is goal setting. It sounds simple, but it’s easy to lose sight of your goals when you're juggling experiments, meetings, and writing.
When your goals are clear, decisions become easier:
Should I run this experiment today?
Should I say yes to this meeting?
Should I spend time optimizing this protocol?
If the goal is defined, the answer is usually obvious.
Stack Experiments and Plan for Failure
We encourage everyone to stack experiments when it makes sense. If you’re waiting for a gel to run, maybe you can start a transformation. If you’re incubating something, maybe it’s time to prep your next PCR.
And just as important: plan for failure. Keep your core strains on plates. Maintain a PCR catalogue. If something fails — and it will — you’ll be ready to pivot without losing days.
Use the Eisenhower Matrix
We’ve started using the Eisenhower method to sort tasks by urgency and importance. It helps us focus on what really matters:
DO: Urgent and important — experiments with deadlines, thesis writing
PLAN: Important but not urgent — protocol development, literature review
DELEGATE: Urgent but not important — paperwork, committee tasks
DELETE: Not urgent and not important — busywork, unnecessary meetings
This method has helped us reduce stress and make better decisions.
Task Division and Team Efficiency
We also talk a lot about task division. Who’s doing what? What can be standardized? What can be shared?
Using checklists, templates, and shared calendars helps us stay coordinated. It also makes it easier to learn from each other — especially when someone finds a clever workaround or a time-saving trick.
Practical Tips We Use
Start planning a week ahead, not the night before
Use a shared lab calendar and color-coded schedules
Batch similar tasks to reduce context switching
Include buffer time for delays
Document everything — protocols, troubleshooting, decisions
Time management isn’t about squeezing more into your day. It’s about making space — for deep work, for learning, for collaboration, and for rest. We want our students to finish their PhD proud of their work, not exhausted by it.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. There are tools, strategies, and people who can help. And sometimes, just talking about it is the first step toward making things better.