During the experiment, don’t let these bad habits break your heart

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During the experiment, don’t let these bad habits break your heart. It might be due to carelessness on the part of your classmates or colleagues, or it could be your own negligence. In any case, the final “outcome,” under the influence of such bad habits, often ends up breaking your heart!

Throughout an experiment, there are always those frustrating little incidents that leave one speechless. They not only ruin one’s mood but also frequently force one to start over from scratch. Examples include failing to clean an electronic balance after use, not resetting a pipette to its maximum scale after usage, using someone else’s experimental equipment without permission, or concealing damage to shared instruments. Again, this could be due to carelessness by others or your own oversight; in either case, the end result—shaped by these bad habits—often ends up hurting you deeply!

Today, I’ve compiled a list of bad habits commonly observed in laboratories, based on firsthand experiences of researchers. If you exhibit any of them, try to correct them; if not, at least be mindful of them! Of course, there are also some good habits worth adopting—I hope we can all learn from them together!

Have you fallen victim to any of these bad habits in the lab?
1. Failing to clean up after completing an experiment; leaving the workbench in a mess for others to deal with. Guns are fired recklessly; they’re not put back on the racks. Used plates and culture media are also thrown around carelessly. The weighing scale area is often a mess. Even when splashes from the gun tip occur inside the laminar flow hood, they’re left uncleaned. The gels used in electrophoresis have all been utilized. 2. After PCR electrophoresis, the remaining substances are not cleaned up in a timely manner; others have no idea whether they should be discarded or not. Over time, this ends up occupying space on the racks. Speaking of shelves, I like to keep my items on EP shelves rather than putting them in boxes in the fridge, which results in a shortage of shelves. 　　3. One’s own experimental results (e.g., gels after electrophoresis) are not saved in time and are left on the lab bench; it’s difficult for others to either tidy them up or leave them be. 　　4. If the glass plates used for PAGE gel electrophoresis aren’t washed promptly after use, others have to wash and dry them before using them, which is a waste of time. 　　5. Failing to conserve energy. The computer is not turned off, the centrifuge remains in cooling mode all night long, the fridge door is left open for long periods, the lid of the water bath is not closed, the lights are not turned off when leaving, and the air conditioner runs all night, etc. 　　6. Some items that have expired and are no longer used aren’t disposed of in a timely manner. There are people who no longer conduct experiments, yet those items still take up space. For example, some liquid media in a 4-degree refrigerator have developed mold. 　　7. The same goes for the culture plates: dispose of them promptly when they are no longer needed, wash and dry them. Don’t just put them in the fridge and ignore them; this will lead to a shortage of plates in the laboratory and overcrowding in the fridge. 　　8. Failing to clean the electronic balance promptly after use results in residual substances remaining inside the balance and on the workbench, which affects both its service life and accuracy. 　　9. When public laboratories notice any problems, they should take the initiative to resolve them; they must not adopt a “not my problem” attitude. For instance, if they notice that the saturation soaking solution for the composite electrode of a pH meter has dried up, they should proactively replenish it—even if they themselves have no immediate need for it. Otherwise, when they eventually need to use the electrode, it might be damaged, and they will regret having failed to do this simple task earlier. 　　10. After using the pipette, do not immediately set it back to the maximum scale; allow the spring of the pipette to rest. There’s also the PCR machine; some people fail to put it away promptly after use, treating it like a 4-degree refrigerator. This really shortens its lifespan. 　　11. Lazy. When the reagents run out, they are not prepared in a timely manner; often, people have to ask others for sterilized plates, centrifuge tubes, and so on. 　　12. When labeling commonly used reagents, such as TBE, information like the date was forgotten to be indicated. 　　13. When using certain volatile and toxic reagents, operations should be carried out in a well-ventilated area; otherwise, everyone in the laboratory will be affected. 　　14. Keeping experimental public materials in private, including saline bottles, culture flasks, straws, etc. for experiments. This led to a shortage of laboratory equipment, whereas in reality, a large amount of equipment was hoarded privately and not put to use. 　　15. Frequently opening the refrigerator without a plan, and leaving the fridge door wide open to perform certain tasks. This leads to unstable temperatures inside the freezer, affecting the freezing effect of other items stored therein. Fiddling around with the items placed there, making it very difficult for later users to find their own belongings. 　　16. Opening the cell culture incubator door too wide and too frequently, without closing it in a timely manner, results in a decrease in the incubator’s temperature and carbon dioxide concentration. Observing cells cultured by others without their consent. Sometimes, cells require absolute stillness, and unauthorized inspection by others may affect their adhesion to the surface. 　　17. Never conduct experiments after drinking alcohol. Especially when performing cell culture, carelessness can easily lead to cell contamination. 　　18. Using someone else’s experimental materials without their consent. As a result, it was only when others tried to use it that they realized the item was gone. Or borrowing someone else’s items and not putting them back; the worst part is forgetting where one put them oneself. 　　19. Items disinfected by others were opened without permission outside of a laminar flow hood. Later, without any notice, it was repackaged. 　　20. The items that have been autoclaved, such as gun tips or other objects, are not retrieved in a timely manner. As a result, there’s no available space in the storage box for the freshly autoclaved items. Later on, it was discovered that these items had expired, so they had to be autoclaved again. 　　21. Touching doors, keyboards, and other objects with gloves worn on the hands and contaminated with toxic substances such as EB and PMSF. This causes others to indirectly get such toxic substances on their bare hands. 　　22. Do not release air after turning off the alcohol lamp. After using and extinguishing an alcohol lamp, be sure to remove the lid and put it back on once again. Otherwise, the next time it is used, the alcohol lamp will produce a very high flame, which might burn someone. 　　23. After using equipment such as centrifuges and microscopes, leaving without turning them off. 　　24. Some experimental instruments are not restored to their original state after use; for example, leaving a PCR machine on at 4°C without shutting it down, or keeping the lid of a refrigerated centrifuge open for an extended period. 　　25. When turning on the power of the low-temperature centrifuge, keep the lid closed; after turning off the power, be sure to open the lid. If contamination occurs during centrifugation or operation, it must be thoroughly cleaned afterward. 　　26. Before use, the centrifuge must be balanced. If it’s not possible to ensure perfect balance using a balance scale, at least the amounts of liquid should be similar (the centrifuge tubes should be placed in corresponding positions, with roughly equal volumes of liquid in each tube). Otherwise, there will be significant “noise,” and accidents may even occur. 　　27. Bottles contaminated with toxic substances are not given any special treatment; instead, they are placed together with other bottles. 　　28. Using the laboratory’s computers for extended periods to chat online or play games, thereby hindering others from accessing information. 　　29. Experimental data is not copied away in a timely manner, which takes up space on the computer used for experiments and slows down its performance. There is no proper organization of files – the hard drive of the computer dedicated to gel imaging is filled to capacity with electrophoresis images that are neither organized, deleted, nor backed up. This prevents others from saving anything, and they also dare not casually delete his folder. 　　30. Failing to take good care of shared instruments; concealing any damage that occurs and shirking responsibility. 　　31. Attempting experiments one has never done before without consulting others leads to blind actions, wasting materials, and even causing dangerous consequences. 　　32. Recyclable and non-recyclable items are not sorted separately; as a result, some recyclable items are thrown away as trash, leading to significant waste. 　　33. Lack of attention to appropriate attire when entering the experimental area: wearing slippers, sometimes not wearing a lab coat, and handling items with bare hands. 　　34. Doing things unrelated to the experiment during the experiment: making loud noises, singing, heckling, chatting idly, or playing computer games to kill time. 　　35. Reagents are stored in an irregular manner, and the instruments are not maintained properly. All kinds of reagents are piled together, making it difficult to find what’s needed; the instruments aren’t recorded when used, nor are they cleaned after use, so residues on the tubes and surfaces cause things to get dirtier and dirtier. 　　36. Store the liquid remaining from the experiments in the fridge for future use, but the chance of using it is less than 1%; after some time, there is a lot of leftover liquid that takes up space. 　　37. The containers used in experiments should not be cleaned promptly; they can be left soaking for as long as possible. Glassware should be cleaned immediately after use. For example, pipettes must be completely immersed in cleaning solution after use; otherwise, they won’t be cleaned properly even after drying. 　　38. The label on a reagent bottle came off. Instead of reattaching it promptly, I just made a simple mark on the bottle, intending to put a new label on it later. But when I got busy, I forgot about it. Over time, I even forgot what those XX and ?? symbols stood for. As a result, that reagent became unusable. 　　39. Throwing away trash such as used disposable gloves: Although there are designated trash bins, many people pay no attention to this and simply toss the waste from a distance. As a result, the area around the bins becomes littered with garbage. 　　40. Pour the solid matter along with the liquid into the sink. 　　41. If one runs out of a certain commonly used reagent or kits from a shared kit set, and fails to contact the instructor responsible for ordering reagents in a timely manner, it becomes impossible to ensure the supply of necessary common reagents, thereby wasting everyone’s time. 　　42. Put the shared enzymes or other reagents into your own box. 　　43. When leaving work, check the condition of the laboratory carefully: make sure the cryogenic freezer is properly closed, and that the water bath is turned off (it will get damaged if the water runs out). If you plan to run the HPLC column over night, verify that there is enough mobile phase and that the flow rate has been reduced to an appropriate level. 　　Good habits in the laboratory – are you proud of them? 1. After using a tip, remove it from the pipette immediately, so that in the midst of busy work, you won’t accidentally use the same tip to draw up another reagent. 　　2. After using the measuring cylinder or beaker, wash it promptly and place it in the oven. 　　3. Regardless of the size of the experiment, make careful records after it is completed. 　　4. If a gun nozzle can be used for two consecutive suction attempts, it still shouldn’t be used; the reason is that the second suction attempt isn’t accurate, and the substance cannot be completely extracted. 　　5. After completing the experiment, wipe down the table, put everything back in its place. Recycle anything that can be recycled; many laboratories recycle pipette tips. 　　6. Carefully plan before the experiment; during the experiment, avoid daydreaming and chattering. Afterward, think freely and analyze the experimental data carefully. 　　7. Design carefully before starting. Once you begin, don’t constantly dwell on the outcome. Stay calm, pay attention to details, and keep meticulous records. Since failure is common, this way you won’t later be at a loss as to where to look for the reasons behind it. 　　8. After each experiment, make records promptly; don’t wait. A good memory is not as reliable as a written record; although this is an old saying, never underestimate the importance of writing things down! 9. Before adding the reagents, mix them well to avoid uneven concentration due to prolonged storage. 　　10. After completing the experiment, clean up the lab bench so that you can continue working more quickly, efficiently, and conveniently next time! Put all chemicals and instruments back in their proper places!
11. It’s essential to have a plan when conducting experiments. It’s best to start writing the paper as soon as some experimental data becomes available. This isn’t done solely for the purpose of publishing; rather, it helps clarify one’s thoughts during the writing process, making it easier to determine what needs to be done first and what deserves priority attention. Otherwise, sometimes after going through all the hard work, the data is too scattered to be meaningful. 　　12. Do not use others’ items casually; always ask for permission before using them. Make detailed records, and when preparing solutions, record the batch number of the reagents, etc. 　　13. Everything must be labeled immediately, including the date, drug name, concentration, etc. 　　14. After use, the pipette should be set to its maximum volume setting to prevent the spring from losing its elasticity over time. 　　15. Do not hold the microplate reader in your hand when it is not in use, and do not turn it upside down (especially when there is liquid inside). 　　16. Don’t keep talking and chatting non-stop. 17. The notes need to be complete–as complete as possible. 18. Another important thing: the notes need to be kept in a proper place; I lost my notes recently… it’s frustrating. 　　19. Finally, wash your hands after completing the experiment. 20. Before leaving or entering the laboratory, make sure that the water and electricity supplies are safe! 21. When reviewing materials before conducting an experiment, it’s best to organize them properly; after reading, note down the key points and indicate their sources, so they can be found easily later on. 　　22. Be sure to remember to turn off the water bath tank; remember this, please. 　　23. First write down the experimental steps before conducting the experiment; during the experiment, make sure to note down descriptions of the observed phenomena. After the experiment, pay attention to organizing and analyzing the data collected. 　　24. It’s best to prepare reagents oneself. For shared reagents, quality testing must be conducted upon first use; the time and person who prepared them should also be noted. Everyone in the laboratory should have a single-letter abbreviation as their name. 　　25. Carefully prepare for the experiment, including preparing the reagents and instruments as well as determining the experimental methods; it is advisable to consult those who have conducted similar experiments. An experiment isn’t just carried out; it must also incorporate your own thinking. Otherwise, what’s the difference between you and an operator? 　　26. The EP tube must be properly marked with the date, and detailed records should be kept in the logbook. For important items, you can add another label. Repeated freezing and thawing in the refrigerator may cause the writing to fade; in such cases, you can cover the writing with transparent tape. 　　27. Discuss more with others and pay close attention to the experiences shared by them – this is almost the fastest way to improve! 28. Think carefully before conducting an experiment; don’t rush into action. Go through the entire experimental process in your mind, striving to succeed on the first try. One must learn the *American spirit*: make every effort to do this task well this time around. Don’t think that if you fail this time, you can simply try again later; doing so will prevent you from ever succeeding in the experiment. 　　29. Pay attention to the safety of others, your own safety, and the safety of the laboratory! 30. Don’t think about other things while conducting experiments; don’t conduct experiments when you’re thinking about other things! 31. Be bold in trying new things – don’t be afraid of failing. The more attempts are made, the greater the possibility of making original discoveries. 　　32. Conduct preliminary experiments: think first, then act; after completing them, reflect on the results. 　　33. Do not chat with others during the experiment to avoid contamination. 　　34. Return used instruments, etc. to their original state and clean the laboratory bench. 　　35. I remember a Nobel laureate saying: When working in the laboratory, don’t think about anything else; focus solely on the task at hand. After completing the experiments, one should let their imagination run wild, especially when it comes to new ideas and methods for experimentation. 　　36. I think it’s important to be aware of the risks involved; some experiments take a long time to conduct, require significant costs, and whose results are crucial for subsequent experiments. It’s best to create a detailed flowchart of the experimental procedure and place it in front of the workbench, marking any areas that require special attention so that it can be referred to at any time. 　　37. You must prepare carefully and strive to get it right from the start, so as to avoid wasting time and money! It’s best to create a flow chart before conducting the experiment. 38. Before starting the experiment, plan your time well so that you can accomplish more within a limited timeframe. Use the downtime from centrifugation and electrophoresis to complete the recording and do some organizing work. 　　39. It is best not to leave the drying oven overnight. 　　40. When using containers with lids, do not grasp the lid itself to prevent it from falling off! 41. Do not hold smooth glass containers with wet hands, as this can cause them to slip away! 42. I believe that when conducting experiments, one must understand the principles behind them; by carefully recording each step of the experiment, it is possible to identify the reasons for any failures. 　　43. No need to use other people’s reagents; prepare all reagents by yourself so that it’s easier to identify the cause of any problems. 　　44. Don’t be too reliant on kits; sometimes traditional methods are more effective. 　　45. First, one must rely on oneself, but it’s also important to communicate more. 　　46. Complete tasks on the same day they are assigned, and keep careful records! 47. Unite with your colleagues working on experiments, as their success or failure determines yours; this is key to successful completion, as good interpersonal relationships and a positive working environment are essential. 　　48. Thorough planning in advance. 49. Careful observation during the experiment, with timely recording of everything, whether good or bad. 50. Processing the data promptly after the experiment. 51. Adhering to the experimental rules and putting things back in their proper places. 52. Promptly dealing with waste and organizing items, etc. 53. Preliminary experiments before the actual experiment are very important, as they allow for the correction of any flaws that might not have been considered at all. Also, try to finalize your protocols before getting started. 　　54. Think carefully when conducting experiments, and consider each step in advance. After completing the experiment, tidy up your work surface. When using the gun, be sure to draw the liquid in gently to avoid letting it enter the gun, as this can easily cause corrosion and contaminate subsequent experiments. 　　55. It’s best to change only one experimental condition at a time; otherwise, it’s difficult to determine which change in condition affected the experimental results. I think patience and attention to detail are the most important qualities when conducting experiments. 　　56. Be willing to ask those beneath you for advice! 57. Thoroughly consider the possible problems and outcomes before conducting an experiment, and do not let your own anticipated conclusions influence you during the experiment. As soon as the experiment is completed, organize the experimental data promptly; conduct statistical analysis where necessary, and create graphs where required. At the same time, by consulting the literature, one can accurately explain one’s own experimental results.