What can be done to improve work-life balance?

By dene.mullen, 10 November, 2022
Work-life balance
Advice and insight on rebalancing the working week to give HE professionals time for the important things in life
What can be done to improve work-life balance?
Advice and insight on rebalancing the working week to give HE professionals time for the important things in life
Work-life balance spotlight

It is well reported that university staff and faculty are frequently working an unhealthy number of hours in any given week. Often, this is to the detriment of relationships, family time, hobbies and other personal commitments – and, worryingly, the trend seems to be arcing upwards. This collection of resources offers everyday tips on how to redress work-life balance, advice on which areas of the job to prioritise when climbing the academic ladder and calls on management to do their part by putting employee well-being higher on the agenda and modelling positive behaviour.

By dene.mullen, 10 November, 2022

You can have it all, just not all at once

Work-life balance in academia can be achieved, but it's not easy
It might just be possible to achieve a good work-life balance in academia, but it requires focusing on certain areas of your life and career at certain times, says Lucas Lixinski
Reading time
5minutes
Useful exercises
Resources
By Eliza.Compton, 10 November, 2022

Recognise work-life imbalance and restore resilience

balancing stones
How can academics stay energised and resilient? The first step, says Aaron Davis, is take stock of those tasks and worries that deplete energy, then add activities that refill your cup
Reading time
3minutes
Lecture hall with blur
Outside of the classroom
Resources
By Miranda Prynne, 1 September, 2022

Walk the walk to benefit your academic research

Woman walking past a field of yellow flowers
Walking can be used to benefit academic research, help with problem-solving and promote creative thinking. Here, Anna Lois McKay explains the different ways it works
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 16 September, 2022

Why my hobbies make me a better scholar

Man playing mandolin
Non-academic skills, both motor and cognitive, can enrich research capabilities in unexpected and often unexamined ways, writes Stephen W. Harmon
Reading time
4minutes
A helping hand
Institutional change
Resources
Timer
By Eliza.Compton, 28 September, 2022

Tame the to-do list and manage an academic workload

Time management concept
Reduce procrastination, forget multitasking and get the to-do list done. From delegating to prioritising urgent versus important tasks, here are six practical ways to balance teaching, research and service for university faculty
Reading time
5minutes
Setting boundaries
Resources
By dene.mullen, 27 August, 2021

Early career researchers can say no, too

Early career researchers must master the art of saying no and not be too eager to please
Coming up with a series of questions for ECRs about each ‘opportunity’ as it arises can help them decide what is worthy of their time, says Lucas Lixinski