Weekly Planning: 6 Reasons Why It's Important For Academics
Whether you're in the first year of your PhD program or you're a tenured faculty member, chances are you've come across (and are engaging in) weekly planning. For me, my weekly planning process is the glue that holds everything together. In this post I'm highlighting 6 reasons why weekly planning is super important for people in academic spaces, from grad students to tenured faculty and everywhere in between.
Weekly planning is important for academics because…
…we've got multiple priority areas.
Between research projects, classes (that you're teaching and/or taking), committee appointments, a steady stream of meetings, and of course your personal life, there are lots of different areas to keep straight. Having a weekly plan helps make sense of all the things you've got going on at the current moment.
…it allows you to infuse some "balance" into your work and life, whatever that looks like for you.
Academics are notorious for working themselves into the ground (myself included). Having a weekly plan gives you a friendly reminder of where your time is going. When you've got a plan it's easier to see when you're potentially pushing yourself past your limits.
…it gives you direction for the week.
If you've got a clear picture of where the week is going it's a lot easier to say no to extra work, yes to exciting projects, and adjust your plans as needed. Having a weekly plan moves you in the direction of having the life you want, and not the life others want you to have.
…it helps you articulate your goals
In order to create a weekly plan, you've got to know what you're working towards. Whether it's a grant submission, or a dissertation defense, or a job talk, writing out what you're working on, on a weekly basis helps make your goals more concrete and helps you talk about them in a way that others can understand.
…it helps you make progress towards your goals
We're all working towards something, whether it's a comprehensive exam, a dissertation, or tenure. Checking in on your projects on a consistent basis can help you maintain forward momentum on your goals.
…it reduces decision-making fatigue and mental energy during the week
If you've got a plan laid out for the week that means you’re spending less mental energy thinking about what to do each day. That extra energy can be better spent thinking big thoughts, mentoring students, working on exciting projects, or whatever else you’d like!
While this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list of all the reasons why weekly planning is important for faculty, grad students, and other academic professionals, these are my whys for weekly planning. I’d love to hear what yours are, leave a comment below and let me know!