Academia: A Survival Guide (Or: Things I wish I had known) – Part 3

I was recently asked to give a talk to PhD students on how to be successful in academia. It made me think of all the things I wish that I had known when I started. In this blog post, I have tried to summarise some key pieces of advice that I would have liked to have had and will hopefully help you find your way through academia.

Looking after your well-being

Let’s be honest – academia can be tough. Especially when you’re a student or early career researcher (ECR). The high rates of mental health problems in academia are well-documented. So, if you’re struggling, it’s not because of any personal failing, and you feel like you’re alone reach out to peers – in real life or online (check out #academicmentalhealth on Twitter) – and you’ll find that many are feeling the same way.

Of course, you are only one person in a larger system. Any discussion on well-being and mental health in academia would be incomplete without acknowledging how the academic system itself leads to such high levels of stress and burnout. Although there are actions you can take to manage your well-being, there is only so much that you can do when you are working within a system that is often harmful. Although we provide some tips on developing some good habits for your well-being within the academic system, for many people, this will likely not be enough, and it may be necessary to seek professional help.

Set reasonable work hours

Academic work can sometimes feel all-consuming. This is especially true when you’re a student or ECR trying to establish a career in a highly competitive environment. The workaholic attitude is widespread in academia, and it’s easy to think that if you just work harder, you’ll get more outcomes and be more successful. Unsurprisingly, the evidence suggests otherwise; consistently working long hours actually reduces productivity, not to mention the effects on your physical and mental health.  

Set strict working hours: the flexibility of academia means that you can set the hours that work best for you, whether its 9am-5pm, 7am-3pm, or just a total number of hours per week. Make sure you have time off each week – try not to work on weekends, but if you have to, have at least one full day off.

Of course, there are times when your work will take precedence, and the nature of experimental research means that sometimes you’ll have to do unusual hours, but try to make this the exception rather than the norm. Having said this, academics are notoriously bad at setting boundaries so don’t be too hard on yourself if you struggle to do so.

Learn to say “No”

Practice saying “no” – both to others and yourself. In a collaborative environment, it’s easy to find yourself helping everyone all the time, only to be overwhelmed and unable to finish anything. This also includes letting yourself get carried away with every idea you think of. Prioritise tasks that are most important and say no to the rest – or at least set some realistic timeframes for when you might be able to get the task done.

Drop projects or collaborations that are causing stress

Building collaborations and working on a range of projects is a great way to develop new ideas, expand your skills and get more research outputs. But sometimes certain projects, or collaborators, can start to become a drain on your energy; it might be a project that’s not going anywhere, or it could be a difficult collaborator who takes up too much of your emotional energy to work with. In either case, it’s probably time to ditch it (or them). You only have a limited amount of time and energy, and projects or people who use up too much without sufficient benefits can make you feel drained and demotivated.

There are caveats to this: sometimes it is necessary to finish certain projects (or work with certain people) and you might not be able to just drop it. In this case, you (unfortunately) might just have to push through and get it done, or look into ways that you can make it more manageable for you. However, next time you should chose to limit your exposure to projects (or people) you know are problematic for your own mental health.

Find a support network of academic peers

Academia can be lonely; although research often involves input from others, you can spend a lot of time doing solitary work. Having a network of academic peers can help you feel supported; having a social group can make your day-to-day work more enjoyable, if they’re in a similar field to you, you can bounce ideas off each other, and they can help you celebrate (or commiserate) the unique ups-and-downs of academia in ways than non-academic friends can’t.

Building such a peer group can be hard, especially of you are new to the university, the city or even the country. In this case, investigate clubs or social groups at your university, find out if there is an existing student or ECR network or social group, and if there isn’t, start one of your own! You’ll find that many other people are in the same position and are often keen to make connections.

Have a life outside of academia

“One of the best ways you can improve your work-life balance is to actually have a life!”

One of the best ways you can improve your work-life balance is to actually have a life! As well as having an academic support group, it is import to maintain a social network of friends outside academia. They can give you a much-needed mental break from work, they can help you develop a better perspective on your work (by reminding you that it isn’t everything), and they are often good at recognising some of the damaging habits that academia may encourage.

It’s also great to have hobbies and interests that aren’t related to your research. Hobbies can boost your mental health and can give you a sense of purpose and self-worth that isn’t tied to your job or study. 

Note: the writer of the article is notoriously bad at separating work from home life… It is not an easy thing to achieve.

Don’t hold yourself to an unnecessarily high standard

Academics are often overachievers, but the need to do everything to a high standard can come at the cost of your well-being. If you find yourself overwhelmed with tasks, and you’re trying to do them all perfectly, you might have to prioritise the most important ones, and accept that others might just have to be “good enough”.  If you’re consistently feeling like you’re not able to do your best work, you might have to work on saying “no” (see above).

Importantly, research can be full of both successes and failures – often in quick succession. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not getting a lot of wins, it doesn’t mean that you’re bad researcher or that you’re failing in your work, and things will almost certainly get better.

Try not to compare yourself to others

I would be lying if I said that your outputs in academia are not used to judge you and others. However, comparing yourself to others can be damaging to your self-esteem. Everyone is on their own path and your successes might look different to other’s. I would also note that you generally only see other people’s “final products” – you don’t see the failures on the way to their success. This is especially true if you are comparing yourself to people at different career stages to yourself. It is important that you set reasonable goals, stick to a plan, and importantly find mentors that can ground you and give you objective feedback.

Seek professional help and don’t be afraid to leave

In some cases, trying to manage your well-being on your own might not be enough. It is very normal to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or unmotivated at times but if you feel that it’s impacting your ability to function properly, it might be necessary to seek out help from a professional. Most universities offer some form of counselling for students and staff at no cost.

No degree or job is more valuable than your mental health. If your mental health is suffering severely and your work or study environment is causing it, it might mean leaving completely. If your supervisor, colleagues or university don’t support you taking reasonable action to protect your well-being (such as those described here), then it is not the right environment to be working in.  Of course, this probably won’t be easy. As a student, it might mean changing supervisors, starting again at a different university, or even not finishing your degree. For an ECR, it might mean finding a new academic job, which isn’t always easy, or possible. It might seem like a major sacrifice, but life is short and you will find plenty of other opportunities to thrive.