Six months ago, I reduced my working hours as an employee and took a step into working freelance. As I’ve adapted to a new working pattern, including two days a…
Before you say Yes: 3 questions to ask yourself (And I’m not talking about marriage!)
Some academics do seem to be wedded to their research, but let’s leave the marriage metaphors aside. This post is all about choosing which academic work commitments you say ‘yes’…
Making research space & building a career: the postdoc stage
Our correspondent Sarah Wayland describes her experience of her postdoc position, reflecting on how it has involved some new approaches to her own research interests. Three days a week I…
Your alternative academic identity: learning the rules?
How do we make the ‘right’ career decisions in academia, and build our overall academic identity? I received an email from a colleague and this quote got me thinking: “all…
Being on the receiving end of “no”. How do you handle it?
Our Brazilian correspondent reflects on the early career researcher’s frequent experience of rejection, at the very end of our month looking at “saying no“. What’s it like to be on…
What I learned when I took on too much: I am not a PhD superhero
As a PhD student with high ambitions and an equally high mortgage payment, I have tendency to say ‘yes’ to most things and up until now it has served me well. By saying ‘yes’ and having the to confidence to say ‘I can do that’, I have learnt so many new things and met some wonderful new people. I’ve travelled the country (next stop, the world!) and stood up to many fears. Because of this I am making connections – people know who I am and what I can do. I am building my network and my skill set, the foundation of a successful career, right?
But what good is a network if I don’t have the time or energy to nurture it? What if people know what I can do, but I can’t actually do it because I am doing too many other things? My drive to be a PhD superhero was becoming counterintuitive […]
‘I’m busy’ part 2: it’s a problem
Last week, I wrote about two positive types of busy, but this week I am reflecting on the kind of “busy” that can really lead to problems. How do you…
Finding Your People: Mentors, Collaborators, and Guardian Angels
Who do you need? It is not always easy to get by in the academic world, especially when you are just starting out. I’m not one to normally question Simon…
‘I’m busy’ part 1: good kinds of busy
Following on from Kathy’s recent post on why you might have to be brave to say ‘no’ sometimes, I want to reflect a bit on busy-ness and how it can…
Saying No: Why it’s important to be brave
As we begin 2017, perhaps some of you will have taken a seasonal break from your work. Or perhaps you worked right through: it can be hard to take time…