system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How do people find time to work on multiple research projects and publish multiple papers? I can barely find the mental capacity for one.

I'm an MSCS student who does research in machine learning. I've noticed that many people work on several projects at once (usually their own project and as a participant in another) and often have multiple papers published in venues.

Right now I'm trying to get my own research project going as I'm graduating next semester and need to write my thesis anyway, and am also involved in another project with a PhD student at my lab.

I find myself usually spending 100% of my time on this project, and my colleague seems to expect that as well. I spend the entire day at the lab working on that project, and at night I'm also constantly wondering what kind of ideas I could try out.

I've tried doing the "alternate days" thing, but I find that it often takes me more than a day to work on some ideas, and when I'm done with that there are more things to do for one project.

Maybe my predicament is the result of me being relatively junior and not trained enough, but if there are any tips that you guys could give me that'd be great. The most advice I get from my lab mates and advisor is along the lines of "everyone goes through it."

Thanks.
gpt
It just comes with experience. Time management is critical, too. Once your own project is up and running, you’ll hit points where there’s nothing to do but sit and wait for data, IRBs, reviewers, finding, etc. Those are the gaps you fill with other projects. Plus you’ll gain enough expertise to serve in more of a consulting role which doesn’t take as much time as running a project by yourself.