be_pragmatic( ): Principles to Improve Work and Life

Second of two presentations at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama.
https://bookdown.org/maurolepore/pragmatic

Transcript

1. be_pragmatic( ): Principles to Improve Work and Life Mauro Lepore https://bookdown.org/maurolepore/pragmatic/ 19 January 2017
2. What are your pragmatic solutions? 2/27
3. Outline Where to aim philosophically How to get there Brake 5' sharp Applications in research Questions and answers · · · · · 3/27
4. Where to aim. From principles to actions Principles are guiding propositions, not rules. ·
5. Do you think beyond the immediate problem? Solve problems with special Attitude, style, philosophy 5/27
6. Do you improve continuously? Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices & personal efficiency. 6/27
7. Do you stop rot & see the big picture? Neglect accelerates the rot faster than any other factor. Notice change. Water heating slowly boils frogs alive. 7/27
8. How to actually get there Examples illustrate principles, they are not recipes ·
9. Do you invest in future-you? If it's cost-effective, Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY) Example: use email's search operators and save (bookmarks). 9/27
10. Do you design your behaviour? Behaviour can be designed (e.g. Google, email, Facebook) Focus on systems, not goals · · 10/27
11. Do you hook new habits to old habits? 11/27
12. Next: Applications in research github.com/maurolepore/slides –
13. Applications in research
14. Do you work around energy or time? The 5-step model (The secret of the most productive R programmer.) 1. gather material, 2. work intensely over the material in your mind, 3. step away from the problem, 4. LET IDEAS RETURN NATURALLY, 5. test and adjust your idea based on feedback. 14/27
15. When do you usually say ? (LET IDEAS RETURN NATURALLY.) – AHAs are worth books. 15/27
16. Do you feel you go around in circles? The progress we feel, want and achieve. 16/27
17. What cognitive/practical tools you use? Task resource practical/cognitive Write (and think [*]) Turbocharge your writting cognitive Edit Goepen & Swan; Style cognitive Communicate R Markdown practical Capture & track ideas GitHub Gists & GistBox practical Develop ideas into projects GitHub repositories and issues practical Analyse R Studio (webinars) practical [*] If you think without writing, you only think you're thinking (Leslie Lamport). 17/27
18. What cognitive/practical tools you use? (continued) Task resource practical/cognitive Analyse R for data science, tidyverse both Analyse, data management Paper cognitive Data/project management GitHub, R Packages practical Productivity, healthy habits James Clear cognitive Communicate Nicholas Boothman cognitive Admin Google's tools (gmail, sheets, docs) practical 18/27
19. Wrap up, part 1 Think beyond the immediate problem; improve continuously; don't neglect. Invest in future-you; if it is cost-effective, DRY. Architect your behavior; focus on systems (not goals). · · · 19/27
20. Wrap up, part 2 – Have you heard the stones soup story? I hope this discussion is the catalyst for good change (kaizen). Creativity is an iterative process; it feels circular but we do move forward (in a spiral). Plan creative work around your energy. There are lots of cognitive and practical tools for you to try. · · · 20/27
21. Questions, answers & feedback If you can, please give me some feedback. (But you are of course excused if you decide not to do so.) For example, what you liked and disliked the most? github.com/maurolepore/slides maurolepore@gmail.com
22. Previous feedback
23. 2017-01-19, audience Feedback came from the audience in the form of a discussion. This comment develops the AHA I had this morning while showering (see AHA in this slide). A highly successful and experienced researcher from the audience observed that most successful researchers he knows are passionate about science only and they happily devote their lives to it. In contrast, earlier career researchers from the audience observed that they are passionate about science and other things too. (continues) 23/27
24. 2017-01-19, audience (continued) If some researchers enjoy working to the point that work and fun are the same thing for them, do they have the right to do it? And if some researchers enjoy other things apart from science, do they have the right to share their time among their passions? In my opinion, the answer is yes to both questions. The challenge is how to remain competitive in the jobs' market. I hope that this talk helps everyone to improve their efficiency, so they can spend more time doing whatever they love. – "You must be the change you want to see in the world." –Gandhi (or maybe someone else) 24/27
25. 2017-01-17, Julia Schuckel (Postdoctoral fellow, Lunds Universitet) "I liked your talk a lot. It kept me engaged the full time. The fact that you gave inside into your personal strategies instead of just talking about theories was really refreshing. And also brave!" "It inspired me to think about new strategies for myself, and am still thinking about it this evening. So, well done! It was really cool to have had the time to hear from people about their pragmatic solutions, but maybe it’s too much for an hour long talk and you could make a workshop out of it one day :)". 25/27
26. 2017-01-17, Julia Schuckel (continued) "In the interest of saving time, you could just talk anecdotally about some of the approaches that people shared today. It's definitely nice to infuse the talk with examples other than yours. But of course that’s really just a matter of personal style. The part with the email organizing was new to me and a very good idea, but could be a bit more dense, you repeated yourself a little bit there. You probably shorten it automatically next time you speak. I struggle finding something that I didn’t like!" 26/27
27. 2017-01-17, changes after feedback See release slides 0.0.1 pragmatic_bambi 27/27