tough decision - how to focus

Like any graduate students doing research, there are some tough times. This is what I am going through recently. --The balance between research and family; the requirements of department to meet; the struggling to focus on only one project.

Looking back, I have to admit that I have not been very focused on my research. As a result, I have worked on 4 or 5 different projects. They are all excited projects. And I have made reasonable progress in most of them. But now I realized that to graduate quickly, I have to focus on one thing and do something deep enough. So, which project to drop?? I am struggling between two projects. The one I have made most progress and have produced quite a publication is really risky to follow up and should definitely have big impact (this is like marketing). The other one is relatively straightforward (I have to say relative) and will very likely generate some small paper(s).

Plus, the department required me to teach for two semesters --one of them has to be some kind of lecturing (like lab courses). This will definitely eat out a lot of my time in research.

I wish I had 48hours a day to work!!!

I think I probably will go with the relatively easier one so that I can graduate by the end of next year. After graduation, if the risky one has not been published by other researchers, I could continue it. (Again, this is marketing!!!)

Wish me luck!

by Beyond Lab