Follow up: Habits of a Researcher?

I asked before what kind of path we should cut out for ourselves in research. I am still working on that but a commenter offered a link to a very useful Inside Higher Ed article called “The Myth of the Muse.” I really enjoyed this short article. The “myth” is that too many people are waiting for their Muse (inspiration) before putting pen to paper. The best advice in the article is this: “articles and books get completed when ideas meet hard work over sustained periods of time”. So true.

The advice offered in the article challenges the uninspired to write a little bit every day. Personally, I would find this daunting and rather unproductive. Instead, I try to dedicate 4 hours a week (usually all-at-once) to writing towards some research project. Honestly, I always look forward to that little “getaway.”

What are some of your research-time habits?