[MUSIC]. Hello. It's Simon here. I'm here with Yenn again. In understanding this week's E-tivity, we'd like for you to contemplate the value of good time management and planning to undertaking a research proposal. Yes. >> It was interesting to see that almost everybody we spoke to were saying that this is one of the most important things if we would like to carry out your research in a critical and organized manner. One of the things that they collectively pointed to was that research is not exactly a neat process. It's not a nine to five exercise and so, then they're bound to be, there are bound to be a lot of uncertainties and there are many things that you will have to attend to, at the same time. So you would like to set aside sufficient time to accommodate all the changes that you might have to make and at the same time to think critically about your project. >> I couldn't agree more the, the value of good time management and planning. I can speak from personal experience with my own research that sometimes getting it wrong has quite poor consequences. So do think about how you plan to undertake your research. Bare in mind that research always takes longer than you initially expect, so build that into your plan. So think about that in terms of what you might contribute to this weeks discussion forum. Involve yourself to the extent to which you can. Have a look at the highlights video and indeed the full length videos for this week. And we look forward to seeing your contribution. [MUSIC]. >> I manage my time from now until then. To make sure that you know, readings are done at this date, I begin to write at a certain date. And also to be flexible again so to always revisit that, to not to be as, as, as rigid as, as as you may, as you may be in the working world. >> Manage your time better, I think. So, make sure that you have thought through how long everything is going to take cause it will probably take a little bit longer than you initially thought. And make sure that you've left some contingencies for things not to go well and so that you're not rushing and not trying to get it all sorted at the last minute, >> Oh it's everything. [LAUGH] It, it really is everything. And it, it's I think a research project rises or falls with how well you've thought through your time. And how you're going to make best use of your time. >> To write a full citation or a type of full citation of everything you read, even if you say this is useless or I don't agree with it. Because, some day, you might want to say these things have been written that I believe are useless and, [LAUGH] and that I don't agree with. >> It would probably be about footnotes. [LAUGH] Get them done as you go; don't leave them til the end. Yeah beyond that you know, just to make the most of the periods where, you know, writing is available and enjoy them, not, not ever see it as a chore. >> I think one problem is that is that a lot of people assume that, you know, because these are sort of soft skills that we by default have them, you know? >> Mm. >> I, I, you know, only to find out later on when it's a bit too late that actually we didn't have them as, as, as well as we thought we had these sort of management skills and so on. So I think especially for early careers researchers, I would say don't, don't risk it. You know, don't don't learn the hard way. I think, unless you're absolutely certain that you've got you know, management skills, communication skills, and by that I mean, could you deliver a workshop on management skills? And that amount of knowledge. Unless you have that amount of knowledge, I would you know, just, just go and attend classes and workshops or whatever, make sure that I have you know, all these skills,. >> Yeah. >> down, so that, [LAUGH] because they are essential, absolutely essential. >> Okay.