{"id":2788,"date":"2012-03-17T10:38:45","date_gmt":"2012-03-17T14:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mathgradblog.williams.edu\/?p=2788"},"modified":"2012-03-17T10:38:45","modified_gmt":"2012-03-17T14:38:45","slug":"taskmaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ams.org\/mathgradblog\/2012\/03\/17\/taskmaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Become your own taskmaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I work really well when someone tells me what to do. “Read this paper,” “think about this idea,” “see if your graph can be embedded on a sphere, rather than the plane” — with such instruction, I can be very productive. However, it can be a weakness to rely on others to make your To-Do list.<\/p>\n

My strategy is to make my own list of things to do. In the example to the left, I was revising a paper, so I went through the referee’s suggestions and made an exhaustive list of all the things I had to do (other than line edits).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That kind of To-Do list is obvious, but I also make them for my research. Those lists are less impressive since few of the boxes are checked off, but it gives me many ideas for things to do if I am temporarily stuck on my current project. An example would be:<\/p>\n

[x] Finish writing up the case n=4
\n[ ] Work out the cases n=3, 5, 6
\n[ ] Come up with a general rule and prove it for all n (i.e. “prove thesis”)
\n[ ] Write up rule and proof (i.e. “write thesis”)
\n[ ] Read 1989 paper (i.e. “expand depth of knowledge”)
\n[ ] Read book chapter on Teichmuller space (i.e. “expand breadth of knowledge”)<\/p>\n

It is nice to have a record of such ideas of things to do, since eventually I will graduate and I won’t have my advisor to help suggest places to go next.<\/p>\n

Have you had success, or lack thereof, with unconventional styles of list-making?<\/p>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I work really well when someone tells me what to do. “Read this paper,” “think about this idea,” “see if your graph can be embedded on a sphere, rather than the plane” — with such instruction, I can be very … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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