Researcher Wellbeing: resources and reflections
As part of this month's focus on research wellbeing, we share some resources and reflections from our committee about how they manage their own wellbeing.
At the DRN, we know that working in academia - at whatever level - is not always easy going. As the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) points outs out:
We are aware and completely understand that working in academia can have a significant negative impact on mental health and well-being... Like many specialist careers, being a researcher often becomes more than a job: it becomes an identity. You may feel you are at a crossroads, at the start of the decision-making process to leave academia, or you may be experiencing difficulties as a PhD student, or in your first post-doctoral position or senior role.
Alongside this, there are often challenges associated with job security, intense workloads, competition and perfectionism. Whilst we at the DRN don't have all the answers - we wanted to share some resources and reflections with our community.
Please remember, it's not a sign of weakness to experience challenges with your mental health. Always seek help - whether informal or professional - when you need it.
Resources
Home - The Wellbeing Thesis
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Wellbeing - Vitae
Wellbeing is vital for researchers as it directly impacts their productivity, creativity, and long-term career sustainability.
Voices of Academia
Improving mental health in academia by giving you a voice.
ADMIN
Reflections from the committee
At a recent conference I attended, there was a workshop on researcher wellbeing. I did a really great activity where I created my own 'self-care menu'. It's a list of self care ideas and activities - that you decide - which you put together in the form of a menu. Like a menu, it has different sections defined by the length of activity. Just like the difference between a starter or a main on a menu! The 'self-care' menu is a great idea because you can make it work for you by choosing self-care ideas and activities that you know will help you. It can also support you to build a habit of self-care over time.
Spending time with my dog always helps me to ground myself in the present and think about what matters; not over-worrying about the ifs and the might happens.
Juggling multiple roles, including clinical, academic and military, means I have to be very mindful of workload. To decompress, I read for pleasure daily, and I like to run, which not only allows me to clear my mind but also gives my subconscious thoughts a chance to percolate. I aim to be strict on not routinely working out of hours unless I have to, to preserve my family time but also retain my joy of work!
I try to look after my wellbeing in several ways. First of all, I maintain a strict work-life balance. I try not to work in the evenings or at weekends unless something is genuinely important.
Spending time with my loved ones also helps a great deal. There is nothing better for my wellbeing than going for a long walk with my puppy, getting some fresh air, and switching off from work. My husband and I also make a point of talking about our day, which helps us get things off our chest and keep work pressures in perspective.
A good ball-throwing session with my puppy is another excellent way to reset and focus - if I don’t concentrate properly, I risk getting my hands chomped, which is a very effective reminder to stay present!
There are also things I would like to return to. I used to practise karate three times a week, and I would like to exercise more (the exercise bike I bought five years ago and have used about ten times is definitely giving me a side eye). I also used to bake every weekend, which I found relaxing - and, of course, very tasty - so that is something I hope to make time for again.
I've started to adhere to a stricter work/life balance - not working at weekends. I unwind by cooking, and spending time with my family. I have also decided to delete my social media, and I do not miss it one bit. This has helped me to be more present and keeps all the doom and gloom away from my phone.
I felt like I was stuck in a lifelong battle to stop work taking over my life but I have made some recent breakthroughs in thinking and action, thanks - in a large part - to some coaching on offer through the university. I know how lucky I am to love what I do but the coaching has given me confidence that it's also okay to want to nurture other parts of your life and it doesn't make you any less ambitious or good at what you do. I've always made space for exercise as swimming and running have given me time to think and engage in the outdoors which is really important to me. But when you are dashing between work commitments and squeezing in a run or swim and then ferrying children about it is easy to forget to stop and change the pace (however much you tell yourself you thrive on being busy, we all need to have some slow times too). I find that paying attention to the joy in the everyday can really help lift the mood whether it is stopping to take a photo of a lovely view or enjoying a singalong in the car. And this has helped with my professional outlook where I am trying to centre the joy and fun in the work I do. I love writing days and I love small town libraries so I have been combining the two. I've also been thinking about slow research and what it means to really engage long term with the communities and partners we want to work with to bring about tangible change together. And I have been giving myself time to plan and make sure I have clear priorities, bounced off colleagues to check they are realistic. Finding allies that question my logic and help me to feel confident to say no or not now has been really important too. I'm loving learning from my DRN colleagues too!
Thanks to our committee for sharing their reflections on how they manage their wellbeing.
