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Strategies for Balancing Work and Life in Academia: Insights from Rick A. Bevins, Ph.D.

Maintaining productivity in academia requires a delicate balance of responsibilities, from teaching and advising to research and service duties. In this insightful guide, Dr. Rick A. Bevins explores effective strategies to manage time and avoid burnout. Through practical tips like setting peak productive hours, organizing tasks, and utilizing delegation, this resource emphasizes the importance of routine and prioritization. Learn to tackle time sinks, chunk large projects, and celebrate accomplishments to foster a healthier work-life balance in a university setting.

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Strategies for Balancing Work and Life in Academia: Insights from Rick A. Bevins, Ph.D.

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  1. Developing and Maintaining Productive Professional Timelines:Notes from a Rat Runner Rick A. Bevins, Ph.D. www.unl.edu/psychoneuropharm/ rbevins1@unl.edu

  2. The Juggling Act Establishing/maintaining research program Paper work to maintain compliance Prep for classes Teach classes Office hours Answer e-mails Advising Meetings Mentoring students Training personnel Writing paper Reviewing manuscripts Service duties Travel Submitting and presenting conference presentations etc.

  3. Balance all this and complete a major task

  4. Avoid being stretched too thin & Tackle the Time-sink Monster

  5. Strategies in a University Setting Pay attention to how you spend your time Look for efficiencies - e-mail - handle each piece of paper once (applies to e-mail) - layout of office - keep things filed (avoid searching) - apply to home Develop routines - good for repetitive tasks - consistency (context effects) - encourages organization - also applies to home (Nb. avoid splitting)

  6. Parkinson's Law "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion“ Cyril Parkinson (1957) NASA

  7. Strategies in a University Setting Explicitly set time aside - each day (or at least each week; paragraph per day) - writing, reading, thinking, exercising - this means rewards too Identify and utilize your peak times - morning person - writing, ignoring e-mails, etc. Also utilize your trough times - read & answer e-mail - schedule meetings (office hours) Use idle time - waiting in administrator’s or doctor’s office - smart phones (time sink or not) - 10 min before faculty meeting

  8. Strategies in a University Setting • Other ways to find/protect time • - learn to say NO! (gently; use chair or mentor) • - triage (recognize & avoid time sinks) • - avoid/control interruptions (includes your own) • e.g., twitter, pop-in meetings (stand up, no chair, 5 min) • - delegate (be grateful & courteous) • - Ignorance can be bliss (website, faxing, populating grant pages) • Getting the tasks accomplished • - prioritize • - start early (don’t procrastinate) • life rule: “things take longer than they do” • - set realistic deadline and keep it • - structure to facilitate keeping deadline (ms. reviews)

  9. Strategies in a University Setting Chunk large tasks - manageable units (sub-deadlines) - accomplish sequentially - make progress even in trough (forms/cover letter) - least desirable part first (I don’t buy it) Make use of mentors, colleagues, & friends Paws to celebrate accomplishments and successes

  10. Strategies in a University Setting Work/Life balance

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