Common foundation
Prioritising your invitations
Conferences, podcasts, interviews, working groups: a calendar of invitations, date clashes settled early, and "no"s you can stand behind.
The problem
Visibility brings invitations: a talk in Paris, another abroad on the same day, a podcast, a press interview, a workshop to prepare, “unconfirmed” invitations left hanging. Without deliberate choices, you say yes to everything and prepare everything at the last minute.
Step-by-step method
- A calendar of invitations, separate from your diary: date, event, type (speaker, chair, workshop, media), status (proposed, confirmed, to be decided, declined), preparation required.
- Date clashes surface automatically; you decide according to your written priorities (research, visibility, teaching).
- The statutory quota: check how many days of absence for conferences your status allows and how they must be spread, and keep a running count.
- Every “yes” creates a work item with its D-30 deadline (slides ready) in the forward-planning table.
- Media (interview, podcast): a preparation sheet with key messages, verified figures, and what not to say.
- The “no”s: a short, courteous message to copy.
Deliverable
A prioritised calendar of invitations, clashes settled a month ahead, a count of days of absence.
Safeguards
Declare your conflicts of interest for any industry-funded talk. The calendar is changed only after your approval.
Starter prompt
Here are my invitations for the next six months. Sort them by status, flag date clashes and any preparation running late against D-30, and propose choices according to my priorities: [priorities].