@Amritlal, You have forgot Your own time, beside the family and work! It is a time that You devote to Your hobbies!

For education professionals, effective time management is given in next document! Good planning is a key issue!

http://duke.edu/arc/documents/Effective%20Time%20Management.pdf

@Amritlal, yes, I think I'm quite productive. On weekdays, I work till around 5 or 6 pm, and go for some exercise till 7. Weekends are mainly for family and church activities, and some blogging, using the mobile only :))

Blogging on RG is a learning activity. Right now, I am keying in some data (SPSS) and doing some blogging :)

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/time.htm

@Amritlal, You have forgot Your own time, beside the family and work! It is a time that You devote to Your hobbies!

For education professionals, effective time management is given in next document! Good planning is a key issue!

http://duke.edu/arc/documents/Effective%20Time%20Management.pdf

Talking about myself, I try to spend each minute of my life productively. Even while walking or sleeping I try to utilize my time by engaging my brain in thinking about some ideas or situations.

But talking in general, most of people spend their time unproductively. Examples including chatting or talking with some one for time-pass, criticizing others, excess watching of movies and serials etc belongs to this categories.

For effective utilization of time, plan your day effectively and between that if you get any free time, try to engage your brain. If you want to watch movies, watch just for entertainment purpose and do not make it your habit. If you like chatting or talking with someone, talk on some useful or informative topic. If you like criticizing, criticize yourself, it will help yourself in pointing your negative points.

Regards,

Nitish

Dear friends, thanks for your posts. Time management is one thing we can always learn :))

@Abdalla, thanks for the great quotes. You are quite an amazing professor of biochemistry, do you know? None of my previous profs are like you. We used to say that our profs only know how to talk about their science!

(Did the politics in Egypt affect you and your students? )

Actually, one needs from time to time just turn off and stop thinking about work and problems. Most of the revolutionary ideas come through such time.

If your conscience allows for being unproductive then be like. Gist is do what ever you like to do, you must do but without any guilt.

Dear Dr. Mandal

Yes, I think I am quite productive and I can say more than enough. Daily (even some weekend) I move 7.30 am, go to laboratory , start working till 3.0 pm. Then, I will come back to cook for my triple 10 years old sons as they come back at 3.30. Once they arrived home, I have to bath them, feed them, teach them, take care on them and entertain them as well. Afternoon, start to clean house, cook for dinner, wash clothes, wash dishes, ...........................My husband is phD student, I have to help him............d not have time for myself, only sleep 5-6 hours daily and working like a machine...........this is the life that we have without any appreciation. TQ

Dear Mandal,

If the question will be asked on any other platform the result will be different.

Here on RG most of members you will find will be productive but when you will ask similar question on FB the result will be different.

Regards,

NItish

We can spend part of our unproductive time for God. Time and energy is necessary to connect with God on a regular basis. we can find a few minutes to be alone with God.Each moment is another opportunity to reconnect with God and invite Him to do a new thing in our lives.Through it, we're actually tapping into our source of strength, faith, and joy. It's how we see our lives changed in ways that can seem hard to believe. We become more like God's children as we spend time with Him.

@Patrick, well noticed! It is not wrong when You devote time for the sake of Yourself, especially if such spent time fulfills YOU and makes you happy!

The question is culture sensitive. In one culture, it may be a non productive activity to meet with our close relatives and friends whereas in another culture e.g. Asian it is considered quite important.

I like reply from @Rahman Sulaiman Heshu, thinking always about productivity would turn us into machines. A balance is quite essential which can be achieved through time planning as argues respected @Ljubomir Jacić  and @Shafig Ibrahim Al-Haddad.

I like to think much of my time is well spent.  And that is a great question!  I go through ups and downs in my research, times where I spend days at a time (and even sleep) in the lab, and other times where things are moving slowly and I feel like much less is accomplished.  I like to use the down times for reading,exercise and art, to stimulate both sides of my brain and fuel my body. My family is so important as well, I try really hard to 'dial my brain down' when I am at home with my girls, but in the back of my mind I am always thinking about data and projects.  Science is almost like another one of my children!  That being said, I am very thankful that I love my work so much, it is a part of my family and a big part of my life.