How to Maximize Delays in Lab Research as a Postgraduate Student

I started a PhD program and am sure I will finish in two years. I know my capacity and I work very hard. So from my end, that was the agreement. However, I began and realized that I was not the only determinant of the progress of my work. I have experienced quite a number of delays since the proposal writing stage. Such delays include feedback delays, supplies of ordered materials, equipment damage, etc. In some situations, you are forced to wait. Sometimes, delays may be two months to six months or even one year. If that happens, what do you do? I learned from time to time to take advantage of procrastination and indeed it paid off gradually. Read articles in your area Often we are so absorbed in lab work that we are not aware of what other researchers are doing in our field of research. Nobody is the guardian of the idea. This is an expression that I experienced. So procrastination offers us the opportunity to read and follow the latest trends in our field. An interesting aspect of reading is that you might get ideas for aspects of your work that have been challenging or ideas for other research projects. Begin writing your thesis Leaving the thesis writing until you finish the lab work may be very heavy. It might be wise to start writing when you are practicing. The delay period also provides such opportunities. So instead of moaning and lamenting, spend time writing your thesis. Attend Webinars I only have time to listen to the webinar when I take a break from the lab. You can find out which professional body you are organizing webinars that deal with various topics. I have found webinars from the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists idexx indonesia (AAPS) to be quite provoking and educating. The topic is not about research findings but the categories are entrepreneurship, business, and innovation; career and personal growth. I have attended webinars on intellectual property, idea generation and evaluation, the Ten Commandments to be successful scientists, etc. The good thing about this webinar is that the speaker has direct experience. For example, three days ago I attended a webinar to publish your scientific research and the most influential journal editors were speakers. This offers participants the opportunity to ask questions that might not be found on the journal website. Writing academic / research papers Quite a few postgraduate students want to continue research as a career; whether it's in academia or industry. If you fall into this group, then publication is one of the main requirements as you climb the ladder of your career. So instead of sitting around or investing a lot of time on social media and other time-consuming sites, you can write a paper for publication in peer-reviewed journals. It is possible that you have done some great work that can be published. By all means, discuss with your supervisor and write the paper. You can also write review papers related to your area of ​​research. Attend professional development training Your personal and career development is for the most part your responsibility and therefore you must take advantage of every opportunity to improve your skills. I am in the academic world and although I gave lectures about 3 years before the PhD program, I took advantage of the opportunity to postpone attending workshops on teaching roles, postgraduate supervision; voice and presentation skills. As researchers, we always learn and look for ways to improve ourselves and our productivity. So grab the chance of procrastination to improve your personal, teaching, presentation, grant writing, and research skills.