I feel frustrated doing silly mistakes as forgetting to loosen the cab of unfiltered flask for example . Is it normal to continue doing these mistakes.
Routine is obviously the most important point for not doing these mistakes. However, they still happen. To minimize the risk of forgetting something I usually make notes in my lab book also about routine procedures (such as adding a certain antagonist during elctrophysiology experiments that I would add every day). I also realized that lab environment is very important. I concentrate best on my experiments if there is nobody in the room and if there is no music. However, some people say they need some music in the background. A busy lab in which you are often interrupted in your work because people ask questions or tell you what they did during the weekend is of course not very helpful. Keep on practicing and concentration should increase and mistakes frequency should decrease. Best
Everybody makes the mistakes you described. Some people made them more often, others just sometimes. It all depends on the ability of each person to focus on what he/she is doing at each particular moment during the experiment. Some people like to talk to other colleagues while performing the experiment (just jokes, small talk, exchange of news, and so on). I don't think that this, usually very friendly and social behavior, would benefit the quality of your experiment. Some other people make their experiments on autopilot (relying on the experience), being consumed completely with some deep concerns and thoughts about the boyfriend, next party, problems with parents, financial problems, next job search, and so on. All of this will unlikely benefit the quality of the ongoing experiment. I would suggest to try to forget about everything else in your life while you are doing your experiment. Switch yourself completely on the experiment. Focus only on the technical steps you perform to get the best and reliable results. Sometimes, it's difficult to achieve, because each person is very emotional, and very dependent on the particular life events and negative emotions. But, you can learn it, if you try to practice it on a regular basis. Good luck !
Routine is obviously the most important point for not doing these mistakes. However, they still happen. To minimize the risk of forgetting something I usually make notes in my lab book also about routine procedures (such as adding a certain antagonist during elctrophysiology experiments that I would add every day). I also realized that lab environment is very important. I concentrate best on my experiments if there is nobody in the room and if there is no music. However, some people say they need some music in the background. A busy lab in which you are often interrupted in your work because people ask questions or tell you what they did during the weekend is of course not very helpful. Keep on practicing and concentration should increase and mistakes frequency should decrease. Best
Jakob von Engelhardt gave nice suggestions.
It is necessary to read and write each and every step before starting any experiment. Try to write every step no matter how small or common it is as you mentioned like loosen the cap. Culture experiments should be done alone or along with a help but try not to talk in between. Try to write steps of protocol and place it on one of the wall in culture room near hood, so that you can see each step before proceeding. These things will definitely help.
Nobody is 100%.. We are all human beings. Everybody do mistakes and we all learn from our experiences. Just Imagine if somebody if giving you suggestion then he/she is giving you on his/her experiences which comes from mistakes at his/her time.
It seems that you recognize that you need more concentration in your experiments and perhapse you have to change your personal attitude. I want to encourage you to go on with your work without blaming yourself !!! You will succeed if you take your time. Cell culture experiments always need patience, care and attention- depending on the cell lines and protocols that you are using. Perhaps it might help you to reflect on your " silly mistakes" and to internalize again the importance of the individual steps of your working procedure. As you mentioned that you are already advanced, just start again to teach and instruct yourself like you would teach a beginner, mildly smiling at your mistakes, cautiously aware of the consequences, ... ---mindfulness even in little things.
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