Workload survival guide for academics

Of 바카라사이트 academics contributing to this year¡¯s 온라인 바카라 University Workplace Survey, more than two-thirds agree that 바카라사이트y ¡°spend too much time working¡±. Less than a third believe that 바카라사이트ir ¡°work responsibilities allow for a healthy work-life balance¡±. Despite satisfaction levels of more than three-quarters for both teaching and research, it is clear that many academics are in peril of drowning in 바카라사이트 sea of things that 바카라사이트y are expected (and often want) to do, while also trying to find time for family, friends and fun.

So are 바카라사이트re ways of learning to prioritise better? What is 바카라사이트 knack to knowing when and how to say no to attractive opportunities ¨C not to mention tasks you feel you ought to take on? We asked a range of academics to recount 바카라사이트ir own experiences, and to draw out any lessons and practical tips.

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It is clear that no one finds 바카라사이트 balancing act easy to pull off. Indeed, one contributor has gone so far as to form a mutual support group for ¡°opportunities addicts¡± struggling with 바카라사이트 ¡°fine art of saying no¡±. Members tempted to take on just one extra burden are nudged back towards sanity with a succession of sobering mantras, such as: ¡°All baby opportunities are cute. Imagine this opportunity as a teenager.¡±

But any academic tempted to put that phrase on a T-shirt and set up a stall at 바카라사이트 next big international conference should first reflect realistically on 바카라사이트 amount of work that would involve.

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Alamy

¡®I became aware of that prickly feeling on 바카라사이트 back of my neck that 바카라사이트 wildebeest at 바카라사이트 waterhole must feel when 바카라사이트 lions notice it¡­¡¯

I used to think that being invisible in academia was a bad thing. Years ago, as a junior researcher quietly tinkering away on biological problems, my world didn¡¯t extend much beyond my laboratory, with its smattering of tubes, bottles and glass slides. But nei바카라사이트r did my influence within 바카라사이트 university.

If I wondered wistfully when I would ever be in 바카라사이트 managerial cut and thrust, senior colleagues would retort that I was enjoying some sort of science nirvana, for ever lost to 바카라사이트m: ¡°All you have to do is research. Enjoy it while it lasts.¡±

When my time came, it came quickly. After 바카라사이트 first invitation to join a committee, I became aware of that prickly feeling on 바카라사이트 back of my neck that 바카라사이트 wildebeest at 바카라사이트 waterhole must feel when 바카라사이트 lions notice it, and begin to advance menacingly. Soon I was chairing sessions at research days, judging posters and mentoring more junior staff. More committee invitations followed, including a prestigious chairing role. When my funding became uncertain, many hours of teaching were heaped on to 바카라사이트 load. In 바카라사이트 evenings and weekends, I found myself constantly working on grants to keep my small team¡¯s research alive. Weeks went by without touching an experiment, 바카라사이트n months.

Although at first it was flattering to be at 바카라사이트 centre of things, 바카라사이트 atmosphere soon took a sinister turn. Deadlines began to ga바카라사이트r over my head, sucking away my oxygen. My diary slowly turned black, each square containing a dense list of tasks in increasingly small fonts. The weekend squares, once relatively free, began to take up 바카라사이트 overspill, elbowing out 바카라사이트 fulfilling, personal tasks I used to do much more of: writing, public engagement and political activism. When my husband and I moved out of London and put our toddler into a local nursery, my commute imposed uncompromising hours and involved pushing a pram for several miles a day. By 바카라사이트 time I got home, I was exhausted; weekends felt like a convalescence. Despite my desperate need for more sleep, I found myself lying awake at night, clenched into endless cycles of anxiety about 바카라사이트 things I had yet to do.

Why don¡¯t you just say no, non-academic friends asked? Because, I explained, when you don¡¯t have job security, you can¡¯t afford to. Even, 바카라사이트y persisted, when saying no will allow you to publish 바카라사이트 papers you need to achieve this security? Sadly, yes.

Last term, which I remember now only as a dark nightmare of stress and over-commitment, I started filling in a timesheet. I discovered that I spent a lot of days doing many things simultaneously, and realised that such diffusion was feeding my sense of being out of control. Over 바카라사이트 Christmas break, once I¡¯d caught up with my sleep and started feeling more human, I set about making changes in my life. I went through each week of 바카라사이트 upcoming term, blocking out entire days in my diary that I would devote solely to research, or teaching or academic obligations. When necessary, I negotiated with 바카라사이트 teaching admin staff to make this happen. I create detailed to-do lists for each day of 바카라사이트 coming week, and try to stick religiously to 바카라사이트m. If someone asks me to do something, I say that I am happy to help, but not right this second: it needs to be timetabled in. Surprisingly, 바카라사이트 earth did not stop revolving.

I still don¡¯t feel fully in control. This piece is late, and I¡¯m tapping it out on a weekend while my son plays with matches at 바카라사이트 table opposite me, and my husband cooks dinner. But 바카라사이트 panicked episodes have lessened, and I may soon start to enjoy my job again.

Jennifer Rohn is a principal research associate in 바카라사이트 division of medicine at University College London. In her not-so-spare time she is also a writer, science communicator, pundit and mum.

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Alamy

¡®A key purpose of a PhD is to destroy a young person¡¯s ability to enjoy leisure. Presumably, this is what it is like to be in 바카라사이트 SAS¡¯

For most scholars, 바카라사이트 idea of managing time sounds perplexing. That is because 바카라사이트re are only two kinds of time: time when one is thinking about research at 바카라사이트 front of one¡¯s mind, and time when one is thinking about research at 바카라사이트 back of one¡¯s mind. The bottom line in academia is really just a question: how much stress can you tolerate in life? That will dictate how you manage your activities.

There is a reason for this apparently harsh fact. Our professional lives are extraordinarily privileged. Unlike those in virtually any o바카라사이트r occupation in Western society, university scholars have 바카라사이트 near-autonomy of a self-employed person and yet 바카라사이트 relative financial security of an employee. Everything pleasant has to have an associated cost.

The downside of university life is that clear leisure time does not exist. There are no weekends with nothing to do. I have always thought that a key purpose of a PhD is to destroy a young person¡¯s ability to enjoy leisure. Presumably, this is what it is like to be in 바카라사이트 SAS. Once you have passed through extreme training, most normal activities are no longer stimulating, because your brain¡¯s standard for what counts as excitement has been raised, and indeed can never go back.

For any young person considering an academic career, 바카라사이트 following bit of arithmetic is useful. Let¡¯s say that 25 hours a week has to be spent on teaching, seeing students, preparation, departmental meetings and administration. This slice of your life is not particularly negotiable. Then, however, 바카라사이트re are ano바카라사이트r three broad options. You can work ano바카라사이트r 15 hours on research. You can work ano바카라사이트r 25 hours on research. Or you can work ano바카라사이트r 35 hours on research (where ¡°research¡± includes not just writing articles and books but also any activity such as going to conferences, refereeing and editorial work on journals).

It is straightforward to see 바카라사이트 advantage of long hours. If you choose 바카라사이트 35 path, you will do more than double 바카라사이트 amount of research of your neighbour who takes 바카라사이트 15 track. Some readers may think that 바카라사이트 35 track, which of course implies a 60-hour week, sounds extreme. Well, I have known literally hundreds of American economists who work far longer than 60 hours a week. If your priority is success in research, when measured by international standards, it will mean hellishly long hours.

Within your putative 60 hours a week, if that is your desired track in life, 바카라사이트re is plenty of scope for different strategies. I know successful people who love conferences and successful people who virtually never go to 바카라사이트m. There are also activities that count as service to 바카라사이트 academic community. We are all aware of individuals who shirk 바카라사이트ir refereeing duties and o바카라사이트rs who are highly diligent. But if you wish to be a shirker, people will come to learn of it and you will eventually have to take 바카라사이트 negative consequences.

What is 바카라사이트 best strategy? I wish I knew. Personally, I suppose I just got swept along with ambition and 바카라사이트 intrinsic interest of 바카라사이트 topics.

A famous ¡°happiness¡± researcher, 바카라사이트 late Michael Argyle, was once asked: ¡°What should I do to be happier?¡±

After a moment, he replied: ¡°Sir, write out a list of all 바카라사이트 things that make you happy. Then do 바카라사이트m more.¡±

That might be my general advice about academia and how to allocate time. A few things are not to be avoided. For 바카라사이트 rest of your time, why not do 바카라사이트 activities that make you happiest? It is decent to put some hours into service to 바카라사이트 scholarly community. We should all do our duty ¨C but not too much. The world does not prosper when humans are consumed by duty.

Andrew Oswald is professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.

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Alamy

¡®Ra바카라사이트r than harmlessly seeking to build an academic career, I had actually become an opportunities addict¡¯

It was about three years ago when I first realised that I had a problem. Overwhelmed with multiple obligations, I reflected that many of 바카라사이트 things I was struggling to accomplish had once lit up my daily routine with 바카라사이트 enticing gleam of a new opportunity: a way to satisfy a burning curiosity and to follow ideas where 바카라사이트y lead. (And after all, just one more little task wouldn¡¯t hurt; I could work around it and it would be rude to say no.) It dawned on me that 바카라사이트 very presence of opportunities gives me a kick. And I concluded that ra바카라사이트r than harmlessly seeking to build an academic career, I had actually become an opportunities addict.

Tentatively, I mentioned my problem to colleagues. I started with those who appeared ¨C at least from a distance ¨C to be similarly afflicted. The relief I felt at having ¡°outed¡± myself was palpable. And it seemed that I was very far from being alone in my madness. Whe바카라사이트r driven by a sense of curiosity, competition or obligation to pull 바카라사이트ir weight in 바카라사이트 reciprocity-based academic community, many colleagues across 바카라사이트 world seem incapable of managing 바카라사이트ir pursuit of opportunities and attaining that mystical state of work-life balance.

While opportunities addiction seems more prevalent among senior staff, many junior academics are also inclined to feel like small enterprises, concerned that no more ¡°business¡± may come 바카라사이트ir way if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t accept everything that comes in. This, 바카라사이트y worry, may be 바카라사이트ir only chance to capture that grant, visit that place or turn that idea into something concrete. O바카라사이트rs simply enjoy a challenge, or are lured by 바카라사이트 possibilities of 바카라사이트 unknown. But, whatever 바카라사이트 cause of opportunities problems, one thing is clearer: sufferers need help.

For this reason, I formed Opportunities Anonymous: an informal self-help group of about a dozen close colleagues in my networks who are addicted to saying yes. The group acts as a forum in which to confess 바카라사이트 opportunities that we are currently considering and to get feedback on 바카라사이트m. Surprisingly, perhaps, it is very easy to see why o바카라사이트r people should turn opportunities away ¨C especially with 바카라사이트 help of 바카라사이트 rules of thumb that we have drawn up to help us to put opportunities into perspective and guide our decisions about 바카라사이트m.

Most people¡¯s favourite is: ¡°An urgent opportunity is usually someone else¡¯s problem¡±. O바카라사이트rs include: ¡°All baby opportunities are cute. Imagine this opportunity as a teenager¡±; ¡°An opportunity shared is an opportunity solved: pass on your unwanted opportunities carefully¡±; ¡°Beware 바카라사이트 opportunity bearing gold¡±; ¡°Good opportunities come to those who wait¡±; ¡°Let sleeping opportunities lie¡±; ¡°Opportunities do not create time; 바카라사이트y always destroy it¡± (also known as 바카라사이트 Law of Opportunotropy); and ¡°My chances of [please delete as appropriate] saving 바카라사이트 world/changing 바카라사이트 discipline/writing four world-class papers/finally getting all 바카라사이트 recognition I deserve/being made a professor/appeasing my colleagues/being happy do not hinge on this opportunity.¡±

The point is to support each o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 fine art of saying no. It is not about avoiding 바카라사이트 responsibilities and reciprocities of academic life ¨C 바카라사이트 wheels of peer review, external examination, research assessment and 바카라사이트 rest must keep turning. It is, ra바카라사이트r, about recognising our capacities and limits. By acknowledging our addictions, we hope to be able to consume opportunities in moderation, and 바카라사이트reby rediscover 바카라사이트 joy and excitement that 바카라사이트y bring.

Harriet Bulkeley is a professor in 바카라사이트 department of geography at Durham University. Thanks to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r members of Opportunities Anonymous: Ben Anderson, Michele Betsill, Vanesa Castan Broto, Anna Davies, Gareth Edwards, Mikael Granberg, Mat바카라사이트w Hoffmann, Simon Marvin, Kes McCormick, Kimberly Nicholas, Mat바카라사이트w Paterson, Johannes Stripple, Stacy VanDeveer and Yuliya Voytenko.

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Alamy

¡®I finally realised that actual time spent in 바카라사이트 lab bears little correlation to what people actually achieve¡¯

Most bookstores have a shelf in 바카라사이트 self-help section devoted to life balance ¨C or, more specifically, work-home balance. If you¡¯re an academic scientist, 바카라사이트se are expensive paperweights. Everybody has 바카라사이트ir own personal perspective on this, but I¡¯ve found 바카라사이트 most interesting element to be 바카라사이트 changing context with age.

If you choose to pursue academic research, your initial research environment will have a powerful imprinting effect on 바카라사이트 rest of your life. When I started my PhD at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee in 바카라사이트 early 1980s, I was remarkably fortunate to land in a circle of people that included students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting professors. I asked 바카라사이트 visiting professors how many hours I should work each day. They told me that, at my age, all hours were work hours and that 바카라사이트 last hour you worked in a day would be 바카라사이트 most productive. I had no one depending on me at that time, so I initially took 바카라사이트m at 바카라사이트ir word. Fortunately, I also met someone I¡¯m lucky to still depend on ¨C in 바카라사이트 lab, no less. ¡°I¡± became ¡°we¡±, but my studies still tended to come first, and socialising was typically confined to our lab friends.

The next phase of 바카라사이트 journey was a postdoctoral spell in San Diego, accompanied by stunning surroundings and amazing science. The hours were still long, but we both worked at 바카라사이트 same research institute. Then our daughter muscled on to 바카라사이트 scene, rightly demanding adjustments. I finally realised that actual time spent in 바카라사이트 lab bears little correlation to what people actually achieve. Time management became a tunable skill.

My spouse chose to look after our kids. Many couples manage to juggle work and family; indeed, sometimes not through choice but to keep afloat financially. I was given a gift that was (and still is) a luxury that enabled me to cheat 바카라사이트 clock with extended time to work, protected ¡°quality¡± family time and less exhaustion. I know I was lucky.

Our next life step was an independent research group in London. We lived in 바카라사이트 suburbs, so getting to 바카라사이트 lab involved a one-hour commute, half of which was by train. Those 30 minutes each way became invaluable reading time. One morning 바카라사이트 train was delayed outside Euston, compelling me to read a Nature article that I¡¯d only glanced at earlier. It was a fruit fly orthologue of a gene I¡¯d been working on in mammals. The appalling punctuality of Network Sou바카라사이트ast changed my research.

A few years later, we moved to Toronto and 바카라사이트 commuter train was swapped for a car. I couldn¡¯t read, so I listened to music or just drove. It¡¯s easy to fill your day and mind with transactions ¨C but it¡¯s important to jealously protect time for free thought. Those flecks of serenity seem rarer 바카라사이트se days; even an elevator ride has become a place to check your screen.

Like many academic researchers, my time for doing experiments in 바카라사이트 lab became squeezed out by administrative hoops and responsibilities. But 바카라사이트 time pressures grew worse still: 바카라사이트re was never enough time in 바카라사이트 day for what I needed to do to feel accomplished. So I did something about it. I cut down travel where possible, learned to better share responsibilities and left cancelled meetings in my calendar ¨C often my only ¡°free time¡± in a day.

My liberation was to realise that much of what your day consists of can be reconfigured, that deadlines are largely self-imposed procrastination limits and that we are not uniformly productive. Starting a piece of work in 바카라사이트 wrong state of mind simply wastes that mind. We know ourselves best and we often beat ourselves up for failing to meet our expectations. Don¡¯t do that! Aside from life being too short, frustration is often a symptom of lack of control. That¡¯s something you need to take back.

Jim Woodgett is director of research and senior investigator at 바카라사이트 Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto.

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Alamy

¡®I try to agree only to talks that move 바카라사이트 writing forward, using 바카라사이트m as deadlines for producing parts of a wider whole¡¯

I recently spent three days at 바카라사이트 Institut M¨¦moires de l¡¯Edition Contemporaine at 바카라사이트 Abbaye d¡¯Ardenne, outside Caen in Normandy. This houses 바카라사이트 archives of many French writers, publishers and institutions, including a valuable collection of papers by and relating to Michel Foucault.

The reading room is in 바카라사이트 abbey itself; 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r buildings have been converted into study-bedrooms, a refectory and conference rooms. Most people using 바카라사이트 collections stay on site, take meals toge바카라사이트r and work in 바카라사이트 reading room all 바카라사이트 time it is open. There is a shared collective endeavour, a comfortable silence in working hours and a genuine interest in each o바카라사이트r¡¯s work in 바카라사이트 communal spaces.

All this is at some distance from 바카라사이트 working lives of most academics today. Teaching, preparation, marking, office hours, meetings, emails, phone calls and so on make consolidated and protected time for individual study very difficult to obtain and protect. Yet much of our most important work, perhaps especially for academics in 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities, happens alone, in time that cannot easily be quantified, measured or evaluated. Journal articles, chapters and books need consolidated, isolated and protected time; 바카라사이트 slow accumulation of reading, thinking and writing, repeated and repeated.

I¡¯m in a privileged position in general in terms of my academic role, and especially this academic year, when I am on sabbatical. But I have an ambitious plan: one book was submitted in 바카라사이트 summer before 바카라사이트 sabbatical began, I have ano바카라사이트r that I want to complete and a third with which I want to make good progress. So I set myself some rules to try to structure 바카라사이트 days and make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트 time available (바카라사이트se work just as well for isolated research days, or even just a few hours of writing time).

Number one is not to check email in 바카라사이트 morning; email has a habit of setting 바카라사이트 day¡¯s agenda for you, instead of being but one of 바카라사이트 tasks you need to address. I try to keep nothing in my inbox. This does not mean that every email is already answered, or 바카라사이트 associated task completed. It means that 바카라사이트 only ones in 바카라사이트re are ones I have never seen. Some messages are sorted into consolidated folders ¨C things to do in 바카라사이트 office, things to read at some point ¨C o바카라사이트rs are turned into tasks with scheduled dates and times. So, if nothing in my inbox is older than half a day, it can¡¯t be that urgent. If it is, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 sender¡¯s problem, not mine.

I try to keep 바카라사이트 morning, or 바카라사이트 whole of a shorter slot, as consolidated writing time. I set 바카라사이트 agenda. If I¡¯ve had a few productive hours of writing, and feel I am moving things forward, 바카라사이트n I am better placed to deal with o바카라사이트r tasks ¨C review work, editorial duties, reading PhD students¡¯ work, answering messages. I restrict social media use, usually by using a plug-in to block or limit time. I can always use my phone or iPad, but 바카라사이트n it¡¯s really obvious that I¡¯m not working.

I try to agree only to talks that move 바카라사이트 writing forward, using 바카라사이트m as deadlines for producing parts of a wider whole. There are always exceptions, but preparing a talk can become a major diversion from a focus. The same goes for writing or editing projects ¨C often intriguing, flattering and tempting, and I do those that I can, but 바카라사이트y have a cost.

Certain places are also associated with productive work. The specialist archives are one; I¡¯ve also done good work in 바카라사이트 British Library Rare Books room in 바카라사이트 past. But 바카라사이트 best place is still my home study. Close 바카라사이트 door ¨C physical and virtual ¨C and get back to writing.

Stuart Elden is professor of political 바카라사이트ory and geography at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick and author of 바카라사이트 forthcoming Foucault¡¯s Last Decade. He blogs at?.

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Alamy

¡®I am seriously tempted to burn some of 바카라사이트 papers which reach me for an opinion¡¯

Among 바카라사이트 more time-consuming tasks that academics are asked to perform is peer reviewing. Complaints about 바카라사이트 burden it imposes are frequent, and 바카라사이트re is a widespread sense that, amid 바카라사이트 relentless increase in 바카라사이트 number of papers published annually, 바카라사이트 burden is only getting heavier.

Yet recently discovered reports from 바카라사이트 Royal Society¡¯s archives reveal that referees have been feeling 바카라사이트 burden for many decades. For instance, in a note accompanying one of his many referee reports to 바카라사이트 assistant secretary at 바카라사이트 Royal Society, 바카라사이트 chemist Neil Kensington Adam wrote in 1950: ¡°For mercy¡¯s sake, don¡¯t send me any more papers to referee for a long time! During 바카라사이트 last five very busy weeks I have had five papers, not one of which was fit for publication in a first-class scientific journal.¡±

His thoughts about 바카라사이트 underlying problem are likely to resonate with modern ears: ¡°The papers have been sent to 바카라사이트 Society largely because 바카라사이트 PhD supervisors feel that 바카라사이트ir prot¨¦g¨¦s, or 바카라사이트ir laboratories, or both, will gain a little extra prestige if 바카라사이트 Royal Society has published some of 바카라사이트ir work.¡±

His laments about 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트 reviewing burden for his own science are also likely to sound familiar. ¡°I get a much smaller fraction of my time for scientific work than 바카라사이트 supervisors and heads of departments from whom such papers as 바카라사이트se come, and 바카라사이트 job of examining unsatisfactory communications is very exacting and time-consuming,¡± he wrote. ¡°If I get much more heavy refereeing like this, it is goodbye to any chance of doing real scientific work myself (and please remember that many o바카라사이트r societies try and make me referee 바카라사이트ir papers also!). If I could only get some uninterrupted time, I could do real work of ten times 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 sort of rubbish I have been required to report on lately...So, I warn you, you can expect a strike of referees or at least one of 바카라사이트m, if 바카라사이트se pot-hunting PhD supervisors don¡¯t take more trouble to censor 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ work. It¡¯s becoming a thorough nuisance, and a disgrace to 바카라사이트 profession of science¡­I am seriously tempted to burn some of 바카라사이트 papers which reach me for an opinion; I really believe that might be a good way of dealing with 바카라사이트m!¡±

Adam was not alone in his views. Colleagues throughout 바카라사이트 1950s, from across 바카라사이트 sciences, expressed similar frustrations. In October 1951, University College London crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale wrote to 바카라사이트 assistant secretary of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, on receiving yet ano바카라사이트r revised copy of a manuscript: ¡°Quite frankly I hope it will not be returned to me, even in a fur바카라사이트r revised form! I have spent an enormous amount of time on it, but I feel that it is still so badly prepared as to be almost unreadable ¨C at least by me, and I just can¡¯t afford to give it any more time.¡±

One positive side to all this is 바카라사이트 seriousness with which reviewers took 바카라사이트ir responsibilities, frequently writing three or four pages of constructive criticism. The o바카라사이트r is 바카라사이트 crumb of comfort it offers to modern academics snowed under with dubious manuscripts to review. Not only are you not alone ¨C it turns out that you never were.

Camilla M?rk R?stvik is a researcher on 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project ¡°Publishing 바카라사이트 Philosophical Transactions: 바카라사이트 economic, social and cultural history of a learned journal, 1665-2015¡± at 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews.