As undergraduates, we attend classes, complete homework assignments, follow weekly routines, and have deadlines by which we must finish certain tasks. Generally during the school year, the goals we set are short-term, whether they be reading a physics chapter or writing a recommendation report. There is a clear path and purpose to this routine; each class will last for a quarter, there will be homework and midterms, and our knowledge will be tested at the end of the quarter. Although learning continues throughout one’s lifetime, the specifically targeted goals regarding a particular subject area may last for a relatively short time.

This can be vastly different from research. Without a clear question that needs answering, as well as at least a general idea of the means necessary to achieve an end goal, one will lack a sense of direction when conducting research. Here, the goals one sets are more independently drafted than those in a course-filled routine. When conducting research, one is his or her own boss and has more control on their actions and behavior on a day-to-day basis. Hence one must set goals in a manner that maximizes productivity without sacrificing much enjoyment.

When setting goals for research, I found that planning ahead to a few weeks was beneficial. This does not mean creating a strict daily schedule where one accurately approximates the amount of time required to complete each individual task. I tried this, and felt too confined to this schedule. It is important to be flexible in case an experiment takes longer than anticipated or needs to be repeated due to an erroneous lab setup. However, because research is a long-term process, having a general idea of the progression of tasks on a weekly basis is important. At the beginning of each week, one should also set goals for each day of that week.

Whether one wants to complete this by creating a to-do list using post-its or a smartphone app is their choice, as long as it is easily accessible. By having a list, one validates the tasks at hand, and more importantly, can refer to the most important objectives that need to be accomplished. At first, this could seem overwhelming. However, it is ultimately an excellent means of reducing procrastination and the likeliness of dates being pushed back.