(Now: Working.)
I just received a review for an article I submitted in a new journal. The journal is open-access, and they make sure to review the submitted articles fast. This particular paper was submitted just two weeks ago, but now it has two reviews. And very long ones at that. And very substantial, if I may add. I have never been this excited to read through the reviews in a long while.
Usually, when I answer reviews of my paper, I really need to find quiet time, to be able to fully concentrate on the task at hand. I have to fully immerse myself in the experience and clear the noise in my head. This is especially true with reviews such as this one; because every single statement is of utmost importance, I need to digest it fully in my head, connect all the ideas (from the reviewers and from us authors) to paint a coherent picture, and write down the new set of assertions with the best possible choice of words.
But life hasn’t gotten any easier, of course. “Adulting” is hard, and it seems it just gets harder and busier the more you “adult.” In times like these, I make sure to find time for stopping and immersing myself in the research environment. And I usually don’t have to go that far. In the middle of a busy day, I use even my one-hour break for research. And I usually do so over coffee.
I am not really a coffee addict (I know of other people who couldn’t function without coffee, especially in the morning, and I am definitely not like them). But in times like these, coffee usually gives me a jolt of energy that allows me to focus on working and drowns out the external noise. Ironically, coffee, the purest form of which makes people palpitate, keeps me calm and relaxed to function well in research. Coffee keeps me safely ensconced in a bubble of quiet and pure research bliss.
Okay, that may be exaggerated and purely psychological. But still. I can’t wait to finish this review, with coffee as my fuel. This quiet moment, no matter how brief, is my escape from the busy buzz of the day. ■
Usually, when I answer reviews of my paper, I really need to find quiet time, to be able to fully concentrate on the task at hand. I have to fully immerse myself in the experience and clear the noise in my head. This is especially true with reviews such as this one; because every single statement is of utmost importance, I need to digest it fully in my head, connect all the ideas (from the reviewers and from us authors) to paint a coherent picture, and write down the new set of assertions with the best possible choice of words.
But life hasn’t gotten any easier, of course. “Adulting” is hard, and it seems it just gets harder and busier the more you “adult.” In times like these, I make sure to find time for stopping and immersing myself in the research environment. And I usually don’t have to go that far. In the middle of a busy day, I use even my one-hour break for research. And I usually do so over coffee.
I am not really a coffee addict (I know of other people who couldn’t function without coffee, especially in the morning, and I am definitely not like them). But in times like these, coffee usually gives me a jolt of energy that allows me to focus on working and drowns out the external noise. Ironically, coffee, the purest form of which makes people palpitate, keeps me calm and relaxed to function well in research. Coffee keeps me safely ensconced in a bubble of quiet and pure research bliss.
Okay, that may be exaggerated and purely psychological. But still. I can’t wait to finish this review, with coffee as my fuel. This quiet moment, no matter how brief, is my escape from the busy buzz of the day. ■
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