管理時間

米德佳提供中翻英學術論文翻譯，含英文編修。

相信大家都有這樣的經驗，每次在寫報告、論文、研究計畫或其他學術文章的過程中，總會感到時間飛逝。雖然您不可能阻止時間前進，不過您可以管理時間運用。以下提供一些管理時間的重要技巧：

追蹤時間：先瞭解自己分配時間的模式：多少時間用來研究、多少時間用來作紀錄、一天當中哪個時段完成的事情最多，以及虛度哪些時間。透過這樣的檢視，可進一步幫助您有效率地處理事情，在一定的時間內完成更多工作。

時間紀錄簿：檢視過本身使用時間的模式後，開始作紀錄。這聽起來似乎很麻煩，而且沒什麼用，卻能幫助您檢討優缺點，採用更好的方式管理時間。

短期與長期目標：深入認識自己分配時間的方式後，現在應該設定要達成的目標。像是英文學術寫作先要經過大量的研究、收集足夠的數據，然後將結果整合，紀錄於不同的章節、標題、次標題之下，如果能把研究的時間與寫作的時間預先規劃好，有助於平均分擔每日工作量，順利達成任務。寫作過程中會經歷不同的階段：列出大綱、撰寫研究計畫、書寫正文草稿、重新改寫與編排，然後才有最後完成的作品。在列出大綱的過程，以及書寫正文草稿的階段可能花掉大量時間，但是經過這些組織過程，能讓最後的編輯更省時、更順利。因此，先明確訂出短期目標：列出大綱、撰寫研究計畫，預計需要多少時間來完成前置作業；再訂出長期目標：書寫正文草稿、編輯、按時繳交文章，確實掌握幾個重要的時間點。

代辦事項：每天設定短期目標。在您坐下來寫草稿、重新編排或編輯文章時，以日為基礎規劃每日進度，並留下紀錄是非常有用的方法。事先列出待辦事項可幫助您達成更多短期目標，然後隨著一天天累積，達成長期目標。

多重寫作：很有可能您在一定的時間內不只處理一種文件（又要寫論文、又要準備專題報告），這表示必須同時進行多種寫作。在這種情況下，務必抓緊時間，除了按照上述步驟自我約束外，還要定期與您的指導教授討論，及時解決問題，讓您成功達成目標。

產能管理：時間管理固然很重要，但您如何施行訂出的目標更是重要。如果您沒有「按表操課」，追蹤時間、設定目標都只會淪為空談。千萬不要敗給拖拖拉拉的惡習。

設定限制：隨時牢記文章字數限制。在整理龐大的研究數據時，加上個人對研究興趣的熱情程度，很可能讓您一下筆就停不了，甚至不小心模糊了焦點，因此事先限制文章長度，能幫助您在指定的時間內，好好針對主題管理寫作進度。

The 80:20 Principle

If you spend 10 hours at the desk, you might find that 80% of your productivity occurs in 2 hours, while the other 20% takes place in the remaining 8. It’s the 80:20 principle in action.

Strangely, the last 2 hours of the day can often be the most productive, even though you would think that’s when you’d be the most tired and least productive.

Circadian rhythms

Your general level of alertness naturally varies throughout the day, and for most people the pattern repeats on a daily basis- so for example you might be sleepy in the morning and most alert between 3 and 5 pm, every day.

Short term stress can override the rhythm (like if you have an important deadline), but you’ll tend to revert to what your body is used to.

But your alertness will also depend on what your body is physically doing. Sitting behind a desk all day, your body’s core temperature will drop, your heart rate will slow and you will gradually become less alert and less capable of writing.

So it’s vital to get up and get your body working to keep your mind alert.

What to do

You need to know what your natural rhythm is. When are you most alert during the day? And when do you just feel like sleeping?

Once you know what that rhythm is, you can start working with it, rather than against it.

Try to do the most mentally demanding work when you are at your peak, and do easier things when you’re not. If you peak between 6 and 8 in the evening, it makes no sense to try to be at the desk at 9am. Start later, finish later.
Also, try to build momentum towards your peak working time. So if it takes you time to build momentum at the start of the day, start the day with something really easy.
This is much easier if at the end of the day you leave yourself something easy to start the next one with.
Don’t rush to turn the computer on in the morning. You’ll just be on email and Facebook anyway. Take your time to prepare, have breakfast, do any miscellaneous chores and give your body time to physically wake up.
Only check email after you’ve achieved something for the day (no matter how small an achievement).
When you feel tired and feel like checking email, get away from the desk instead.