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Asked by Amabel on 12 Nov 2024.
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Emma Weir answered on 12 Nov 2024:
I make sure to keep experiments during the week as much as possible! Occasionally working with cells means this can be hard, because they don’t stop growing at the weekend…
Other things I do are to keep emails and admin as tasks I only do at work, and try not to touch them when I’m at home
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Sandra Robertson answered on 14 Nov 2024:
I signed up to be a STEM Ambassador for my business and I’m finding this to be a great way to bring a better balance to my working week. Sharing my experiences of working with the business for 23 years with others, encouraging the next generation to consider a role in a similar industry, and participating in outreach activities at local primary and secondary schools, helps remind me of all the good things about working in my role. This is why I signed up to participate in this program, to challenge how I can explain my job to others and share what my career has been like, good and bad, to help others make a more informed choice.
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John Clark-Corrigall answered on 15 Nov 2024:
I try to block my week out with chunks to maintain balance. And slot some non work activities, like I’m a big parkrun enthusiast so non-negotiable I’m at a park doing a 5K every Saturday morning. Even if I’ve gone away for work, which is great having tourism to York, Liverpool and Leeds parkruns.
I walk my commute (1 hour, 3 and a bit miles) so I have a defined start and stop to work. This alone keeps me fairly well balanced. Like Emma, unless it’s massively urgent, I don’t answer emails at home either.
Comments
Rachel E commented on :
I have two small children (aged 5 and 1) so I need to work around childcare hours. This gives an enforced work-life balance, but I am loving having the excuse to pack up and leave at 5. I sometimes need to catch up with things in the evening or at the weekend, but only if I’ve used some of the flexibility to go to school plays or things.
Diane commented on :
I have had my own business for the past 19 years and during that time I had 3 children, did my PhD part-time and grew my business (all at the same time). Work-life balance is difficult! When I am working away from home (which could be anywhere around the world) I make sure that I keep up with my emails in the evenings, so that when I get back home I can take some time off to spend with my family. This does mean that I don’t see much of the places that I visit though, but if it is a lovely place I’ll go back with my family for a holiday. Key thing is to be organised, efficient and to not waste time (relaxing isn’t wasting time though).
Charlotte commented on :
I find scientific research really good for work life balance. Other people would probably hate not working 9-5 but I really enjoy being able to plan my work around my life and work from home two days a week. It is all about finding something you enjoy then finding the right schedule for you and a work place that can support that.
DrLukeF commented on :
Work-life balance is always difficult, but as a scientist, it can be even more challenging when you enjoy your job and it doesn’t always feel like work! I commute about 45 minutes to and from work, so starting early and finishing late are difficult unless absolutely necessary, but as a plant scientist, experiments can run for weeks or even months, and often require attention over the weekend, because they don’t stop growing!
In our lab at NASA we have a schedule in place for ‘weekend checks’, where one person comes in each day once every couple of months to check on everyone’s experiments. This ensures we don’t come in often on a weekend unless absolutely necessary.
I also work in Florida, somewhere I’ve dreamed of living for my entire life. I don’t know how long I will be here, so this motivates me to maintain a work/life balance that allows me to get out and experience Florida as much as possible while I’m here.