137: Ten rules for improving academic work-life balance

Episode 137 · August 2nd, 2021 · 53 mins 21 secs

About this Episode

Dan and James share their thoughts on a recent paper that proposes ten rules for improving academic work-life balance for early career researchers and the figure from this paper that became a meme.

Here are the rules:

  1. Long hours do not equal productive hours
  2. Examine your options for flexible work practices
  3. Set boundaries to establish your workplace and time
  4. Commit to strategies that increase your efficiency and productivity
  5. Have a long-term strategy to help with prioritization, and review it regularly
  6. Make your health a priority
  7. Regularly interact with family and friends
  8. Make time for volunteer work or similar commitments that are important and meaningful to you
  9. Seek out or help create peer and institutional support systems
  10. Open a dialogue about the importance of work–life balance and advocate for systemic change

Dan mentioned an app he sometimes uses to track his time, called Timery.

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Music credits
Our outro music is by Lee Rosevere

Episode citation

Quintana, D.S., Heathers, J.A.J. (Hosts). (2021, August 2) "137: Ten rules for improving academic work-life balance", Everything Hertz [Audio podcast], DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/7F3KN

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