Science for SEO

I was on the bus thinking about what I’d learnt over the last 5-6 years and I was also thinking about Tim Ferris. He wrote a book called the 4hr week which I read and really enjoyed, there are some wonderful tips in there for making the most of your time. I have realised that I don’t want a 4hr week because I would still be doing what I normally do in the rest of the time (apart from a bit more surfing).

People often ask me how I’ve juggled working full-time in computing and SEO and doing my PhD at the same time. I can assure you that I don’t have a cape and that I am no more special or intelligent than anyone else (much to my dismay). I just chose to do the things I liked and refused to do all the things I didn’t (within reason). I learned a lot of things and I’m grateful for the experience, I think it was well worth the effort especially from a personal growth perspective.

10 Things I learned from research on my PhD:

1. Spend a lot of time reading other people’s research – if you don’t you are guaranteed to be on a wild goose chase
2. Be a good engineer and re-use code. It’s not cheating, it’s smart
3. Spend a lot of time planning before you even start to think about programming
4. Ask for help: email the guy who wrote the textbook or the lady who wrote all those papers
5. Direct criticism is positive because it allows you to improve
6. Speak up and disagree when you have a valid, educated and real reason to
7. Find out about research not related to yours as you will become more creative in your own as a result
8. Don’t waste anybody’s time by asking questions which you would find the answer to if you bothered to read about it
9. If you are stuck, go surfing, running, do yoga, paint, whatever you want, even for a few days. Suddenly the answer will appear
10. Always accept invitations to speak at events, peer review is your friend

10 things I learnt from working in companies (big and small):

1. Don’t include equations in presentations but rather lots of pictures, flowcharts, action words and colours
2. Work out in advance how you are going to sell your project to management – how does it make money or benefit the company?
3. Never go beyond the brief unless clearing it with your boss – you’re wasting time as it might not be used or welcomed
4. Playing politics is exhausting and doesn’t make you feel good: rather just deliver good work & make sure people know about it
5. Take your holidays every year – you need to refresh and rejuvenate (cut yourself off from the internet and lose your phone)
6. Speak up – don’t be afraid of saying what you think in a considerate and friendly way
7. Be generous with your knowledge
8. Red tape can be cut – observe, approach and discuss
9. Suggest your revolutionary/unconventional/innovative ideas and projects – accept that it might take a long time for them to catch on. That’s ok
10. Make sure you identify at least 3 things that you can learn from each person on your team

10 things I learnt from doing both at the same time:

1. The more time you have to do things, the less time you seem to have
2. The less time you have to do things, the more time you seem to have
3. Don’t do things in advance – you’re more focused and motivated when under pressure (don’t be stupid though) – it saves time too
4. Turn off email, phone, internet when working on something – focus
5. Look after yourself: sleep, eat properly, get some excersise every day – it is not a waste of time but an investment
6. Don’t worry – it WILL get done
7. Friends and family are a huge source of support – call, meet up, make time.
8. There is always always time for everything
9. Your best IS good enough whatever anyone says – pat yourself on the back
10. Remain calm – what’s the worst case scenario? 99% of the time it’s not catastrophic

What have you learned from your experience in your career? I’d love to add to my lists so please share

Related Posts:

• A dazzlin interview with Donna Fontenot
• Semantic web spam: SemSpam
• Who do we need in search?
• This week in Geekdom – JA/4
• OWL – w00t