Finding Balance in Career and Life: Insights from a Prof

1. Having a Career and a Life Finding Balance Kristin Yvonne Rozier NASA Langley Research Center & Rice Univ. Chandra Krintz Associate Professor, Univ. of California Santa Barbara CRA-W Cohort Workshop March 13-14, 2008 Thanks to Kathleen Fisher for helping to improve these slides

2. A bit about Chandra… / outreach

3. Some of the things I do • Advise a group of 5-10 BS, MS, and PhD students • Research: Full system performance adaptation • Teach 1 course per quarter (3 courses per year) • Write many, many grant proposals • Committees in department • Lead on CS undergraduate curriculum revamp • Committees in community (conferences) • SIGPLAN Executive Committee Vice Chair! • Outreach, mentoring (CRA-W Cohort!) High-End Systems Low-End Systems

4. Some of the things I do • Outreach to Girls Inc. (thanks to tenure!!) • Teaching 6-10 year olds how to program using a game controller • Microsoft Research Boku (XBox game that runs on a PC) • And helping non-profits in my community w/ computers • Getting students involved -- feel good about themselves and gain perspective on what their degree (in CS or CE) means

5. Stress Similarities: Grad Students • Different each year • Y1: getting comfortable, class/tests, TAing • Topic search, advisor search • Y2-4: In the thick of it • Y5+: last mile • Paper deadlines • Identifying letter writers • Writing the thesis • Applying for jobs • Finding an advisor • Comprehensive exams • Paper deadlines • Encountering rejection • Going to conferences • Internships • Finding a thesis topic • Figuring out what comes next

6. Stress Similarities - Post-PhD, Academic • Different each year • Y1: getting comfortable, teaching real classes • Y2-3: attracting students, seeking funding • Every year • Paper/proposal deadlines + acceptances/rejections • Departmental and research community service • Identifying viable research projects • Attracting / working with students • Travel • Improving teaching quality • Multi-tasking / effective context switching • Y5: last mile before tenure • Identifying letter writers, giving talks

7. Stress Similarities - Post-PhD, Research Lab • Different each year • Y1: getting comfortable, finding a research project • Y2-3: figuring out how to do good research and positively impact the sponsoring company • Every year • Paper deadlines + acceptances/rejections • Organizational and research community service • Identifying viable new research projects • Attracting / working with students and colleagues • Travel • Y3+: advancing in company/lab • Coping with company downturns: layoffs, equipment shortages, lack of travel funds, etc.

8. Observations • Demands come in waves • Too many at once cause stress • Size and number matters • Many of us are very goal-oriented • We all have insecurities • We humans cannot maintain an insane pace continuously (time management) • Not sustainable • Leads to burnout / poor productivity • Will wear you out • There is always moreto do • Family obligations and relationships

9. Managing Waves of Demands • A continuous, incremental process • You must work at it; there is no free lunch! • Make changes incrementally • Riding the waves • Prioritize demands • Work hard during high-demand periods • Take a break, re-energize during low-demand • Recognize/work on the transition between the two

10. Managing Goals and Expectations • Set by yourself or others • Note when they are self-inflicted! • Understand completely what is required given a goal • Know why you want to achieve it • Evaluate your progress • Talk about it with your mentor(s) and others • Learn how to enjoy the process • Focus on the present • Appreciate your achievements before moving on • Work to ensure that goals are achievable

11. Managing Insecurities • Being insecure contributes to being out of balance • Seek out a good mentor (may/may not be your advisor) • Don't set yourself up to fail • Be proud of and celebrate your accomplishments • Don’t belittle achievements -- just because it was you who achieved them • Keep a “good file” of positive feedback • Realize that we all (you, me, him, her, us, them) have insecurities • Think them through, talk them over with those you trust

12. Chandra’s Insecurities • I am an imposter! • How did I get here? I know nothing. I’ll never have another research idea. • Manifestation: OK, just work more/harder... • I care deeply about what others think of me • I have panic attacks before entering areas where lots of people are (for fear I’m going to mess up in some way) • I take things very personally • Rejection, not being included, the success of others • Manifestation: OK, just work more/harder...

13. Time ManagementDid you see Janie's session yesterday? • There's always more to do • Learn how to estimate accurately the time required • Don't take on too much or feel pressured to say yes • Worse to take on something and only contribute minimally or do an average/poor/late job at it than to say no • Renegotiate unmanageable commitments • Be honest with those you are working with • Identify a solution that works for all • Taking on a new task can be an opportunity to let go of an old one. • Work with people who are good at getting things done. • Identify your guiding principles

14. Chandra’s Guiding Principles • Time for Rich and Zoe, larger family (sister, brother) • Do great research and share it with others • Through publication and communication • Through service in my community • For the support ($$), success, and options for my students • Work on interesting and high impact research problems • Programming language implementations • Make a difference in students’ lives • At any level, age • Let them know that what they are doing (working on their education) is exceptional • Teaching/Curriculum • Have time to be healthy

15. Be Organized • Keep a calendar that you always have with you • Electronic (back it up) or paper • Keep it up to date • Meetings as well as work things (email, paper reading, writing, coding, seminars, etc) • Schedule in both work and play • Block out time for only research • Know when you work efficiently: Don’t squander that time! • Avoid churn: pick a task and do it. • When “on a roll”, keep the momentum. Conversely, if something is a grind, don’t push too hard. • Handle email efficiently. • Keep a research/idea book or wiki.

16. Finding Balance • Most importantly -- take care of you! • Figure out what makes you happy/unhappy • Look up every once in a while to take stock • Apply money to the problem if possible • Exercise! • Eat well • Sleep enough • Identify your optimal number of hours • Help and receive help from others • Don't isolate yourself • Seek out family, friends, others • Have a life as well as work • Set realistic goals to achieving balance

17. Finding Balance (non-work): Chandra • Sleep (8+hrs, yes, 8) • Exercise • Seeking out colleagues and making time to be social • Just going for coffee or lunch • Outreach to the community • Girls Inc., local high schools, DAWG, soup kitchens • Help with technology (simple things), sharing how fun computer science can be!, walking dogs • Listening to music (from my past) • Driving my car / going on roadtrips • Golf • Zoe

18. Something I found recently… Cookie Bjorn Cole Bjorn • How to find balance: Work Like A DOG! from Martha Beck's article in Oprah Magazine Mar08

19. Something I found recently… • How to find balance: Work Like A DOG! from Martha Beck's article in Oprah Magazine Mar08

20. Ideas for Questions • Balance as a graduate student • Balance and the tenure process or high-tech industry • Dual-career couple • Working at it • Finding jobs that are equally satisfying • Managing relationships • Having children • Deciding on your future and considering balance • Other time management questions