The Problem You block out time to write. By the end of the session: If you identify with this, then read on. This is a process problem, not a discipline or time management problem. Many researchers become frustrated because they judge their productivity solely by the amount of text they produce. In reality, progress often happens long before words appear on the page. The Shift: Stop Trying to Do or Be Everything at Once Writing is not one activity. It is a collection of different activities that require different intentions, mindsets, and ways of thinking. When we try to do them all simultaneously, they clash: We cannot do both at the same time. If we try, it creates friction, slows progress, and often leads to avoidance and lack of motivation. A useful way to remain productive, whatever mood you are in, is to separate the writing process into distinct stages and tackle them at different times of day, on different days, or even in different locations. One helpful framework is the POWER writing process outlined below. Throughout this explanation, we include some light-touch suggestions about how AI tools can support different stages of the writing process. These tools can help you …
Creating space for scholarship: what writing retreats can teach us
Many established researchers, particularly those who identify with the ‘Independent Scholar’ persona, describe a common challenge: finding sufficient time and mental space for the activities that matter most to them. These two research studies explore the impact of academic writing retreats and the conditions that help academics engage in focused scholarly work. Together, they examine both the productivity benefits of writing retreats and their contribution to wellbeing, motivation and professional identity. While writing retreats are often associated with producing papers and grant applications, the research suggests that their value extends beyond outputs. Participants frequently report improved focus, renewed motivation, reduced feelings of isolation and a stronger connection to the aspects of academic work they find most meaningful. One of the key messages emerging from both studies is that the benefits arise not simply from writing more, but from creating conditions that are increasingly rare in academic life: uninterrupted time, clear focus, freedom from competing demands and opportunities to work alongside a supportive scholarly community. For ‘Independent Scholars’, these articles offers an opportunity to reflect on how much protected space currently exists for reading, writing, thinking and developing ideas, and what can be learned from retreat environments about creating more sustainable …
Recognising and valuing invisible contributions
This thought-provoking article Invisible Labour: Visible Activism (Montano, Toral & Percy) explores the concept of “invisible labour”: the often unseen work that supports students, colleagues, departments and institutions but may not always be formally recognised or rewarded. Examples might include mentoring, pastoral support, committee work, relationship-building, emotional labour, inclusion activities, helping colleagues navigate challenges or quietly ensuring that projects and teams continue to function effectively. While the article focuses particularly on the experiences of women in higher education, many of the themes will resonate more broadly across academia. Rather than offering practical solutions, the article provides a lens through which to think about contribution, recognition and value. It encourages readers to consider which activities are visible and rewarded, which remain largely unnoticed, and how this shapes both academic careers and institutional culture. For established researchers who identify with the ‘Independent Scholar’ persona, whose influence is often expressed through supporting others, intellectual leadership, collaboration and service, the article offers an opportunity to reflect on the breadth of their contribution and the many ways academic impact extends beyond publications and grants. Many academics instinctively focus on the outputs they produce while overlooking the support, leadership and care they provide to others. This …
Finding flow in your work
In this TED Talk Flow: The Secret to Happiness, professor of psychology and management Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi introduces the concept of “flow”: a state of deep concentration and immersion in an activity that is both challenging and meaningful. Many academics can recall moments when they became completely absorbed in reading, writing, analysing data, developing ideas or exploring complex problems. Yet as careers progress, these experiences can become harder to access due to competing demands, increasing responsibilities and fragmented working patterns. The talk explores the conditions that make flow more likely and explains why these experiences contribute to motivation, creativity, learning and wellbeing. It provides a useful perspective on why some activities leave us feeling energised and fulfilled while others can feel draining, even when they are important. For established researcher who find their attention and time pulled in different directions, this resource offers a reminder that activities such as thinking, writing, reading and intellectual exploration are not simply outputs to be measured, but an important part of what makes academic work meaningful and rewarding. Understanding what creates flow for you can help you make more intentional choices about how you spend your time and energy. As academic careers progress, it can …
Protect time for deep work and scholarship
The short article Academic Deep Work Gets You Promoted from Academic Headspace explores the concept of “deep work”, drawing on the ideas of Cal Newport and applying them directly to academic careers. As academic careers progress, it can become increasingly difficult to find uninterrupted time for activities such as reading, writing, analysing, developing ideas and making intellectual connections. Meetings, administration, leadership responsibilities, teaching and email can fragment attention and make it harder to focus on the work that often contributes most to long-term academic impact. You may notice that many activities which are highly valued in academia require long periods of uninterrupted attention yet are often the first things squeezed out of busy schedules. The article argues that sustained periods of focused intellectual effort are not a luxury but a key contributor to scholarly productivity and career progression. It distinguishes between “deep work” and more reactive or administrative activities, and encourages academics to think carefully about how they protect time for activities that require concentration and creativity. For established researchers who tend to work independently and less in teams, this resource may be particularly valuable because many derive meaning, energy and impact from activities that require uninterrupted thinking time. It …
From Magic Circle solicitor to Professor: learning that “good enough” really is good enough
Contributor role: Professor Discipline: Law Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story I began my career training and working as a Solicitor in a Magic Circle law firm in London. During my training, I took a secondment that helped me realise that what I most enjoyed was legal research. I could see that as I became more senior in practice, I would do less of the work I loved because I would simply become too expensive for clients to use for detailed research. My role would have been to check what others had done. I tested the waters by teaching for the Open University while still in practice. I realised I loved both teaching and the sense that I was making a positive, direct difference to students. So I took what felt like a bold step and applied for a funded PhD. Many colleagues were bewildered that I would leave a lucrative and promising legal career to become a student again. But I wanted a career that felt intrinsically satisfying. My PhD was hard going. In my third year, I became …
Leadership in a time of jeopardy: realism about promotion, leverage and the realities of academic middle management
Jamie Blaza Role: Research Fellow and ProfessorDiscipline: ChemistryInstitution: University of York Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story I was appointed to the University of York in 2018 to establish cryo-electron microscopy and launch my independent research career. In 2021, I was awarded a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. I lead the York Bioenergetics Lab within the larger York Structural Biology Laboratory. My career path has moved through Leeds, Singapore and Cambridge before York. Along the way I have learned that academic careers are often framed in grand language, but the day-to-day reality can look quite different. One myth I have found helpful to challenge is the way academic careers are dressed up with elaborate titles. With my team, I often say that much of what I do would simply be called middle management in any other organisation! You look after your team, secure funding, and negotiate upwards. Framing it this way made the role clearer and more manageable for me. On leadership roles, in an ideal world you would apply when it suited your career stage. In practice, roles often need to be …
Becoming a Head of School and a father on the same day: rethinking research, leadership and asking for help.
Hugo Dobson Role: Professor and Faculty Director of One University Strategy Delivery (Arts and Humanities) Discipline: International Relations and East Asian StudiesInstitution: University of Sheffield Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story I was interviewed for and offered the position of Head of School on the same day I found out I was going to become a dad. Either of these events would have required me to rethink my approach to research. Both at once made this rethink an absolute necessity. Looking back, I would tell myself: ask others for help, at work and at home, and do not suffer in silence. I assumed at one point that leadership roles are lonely. They can feel that way, but they do not have to be. One of the practical changes I made was to stop trying to do everything alone in my research. I actively decided to seek out co-authors and invest more in collaborative projects rather than working in isolation. I also became much more intentional about quality. Instead of trying to produce as much as possible, I focused on producing fewer, higher-quality outputs. …
Stepping into senior leadership and learning to think more deliberately about the balance between institutional responsibility and personal research.
John Flint Role: Deputy Vice President – Research Discipline: Urban StudiesInstitution: University of Sheffield Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story Over the course of my career, I have transitioned into senior leadership roles within my institution, initially as Head of School, then as a Faculty Director and currently as Deputy Vice President for Research. Looking back, I would advise my younger self to be more deliberate and clear about the extent to which I wished to balance senior leadership with research and teaching. I do not regret the direction my career has taken. However, I think I could have thought more carefully about the longer term consequences of that balance. There are examples of colleagues who effectively combine senior leadership with continuing excellent research and innovation or impact. It can be done. I would also say that some colleagues assume they would not enjoy or be effective in senior leadership roles. In many cases, that will be the right judgement for them. However, there are also individuals who, despite initial doubts, find that they enjoy these roles and derive real …
From flood engineer to impact fellow: designing a career at the intersection of science, policy and lived experience
Martina Egedusevic Role: Impact FellowDiscipline: Nature based solutionsInstitution: University of Exeter Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story My career sits at the intersection of engineering, environmental science and public decision-making. I trained as a hydraulic engineer in Serbia and spent seven years working on flood protection and river basin management across the Danube, Sava and Morava catchments. The 2014 Balkan floods were a turning point for me personally and professionally. My family home was affected, and I experienced first-hand the gap between emergency response and long-term risk reduction. That experience led me to pursue a PhD in Natural Flood Management in Scotland, focusing on how land use change and woodland creation influence flood risk. Since then, my work has increasingly moved across sectors: academia, consultancy, government, NGOs and communities. I have worked on nature-based solutions, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation in the UK and internationally. I am currently an Impact Fellow at the University of Exeter, working closely with policymakers, practitioners and communities to translate research into real-world change. Looking back, I would tell myself that impact does not come from doing …
From over-extension to intentional focus: redefining progression while balancing leadership, maternity leave, and long-term impact.
Jiao Ji Role: Lecturer in FinanceDiscipline: Accounting and FinanceInstitution: University of Sheffield Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story Over the past several years, I have balanced a full academic workload with two periods of maternity leave, returning each time to a demanding teaching and leadership environment while maintaining an active research agenda. Alongside my role as Programme Director, I have taken on significant EDI and pastoral responsibilities, particularly supporting early-career colleagues and academic parents, while working toward long-term progression to Senior Lecturer and Professor. Earlier in my career, I equated visibility with progress. I said yes frequently, took on service roles, and absorbed expectations without always questioning whether they aligned with my longer-term goals. Over time, and particularly after maternity leave, I realised that sustainability and focus mattered more than constant availability. If I could advise my younger self, I would tell myself to be more selective earlier – about projects, service, and expectations – and to trust that focus matters more than visibility. I would advise myself not to internalise structural barriers as personal shortcomings, and to align effort with long-term goals rather than short-term reassurance. Most importantly, I would remind myself that sustainability is not a …
From always volunteering to choosing deliberately: learning that saying no can protect both progression and wellbeing.
Candice Majewski Role: Senior Lecturer Discipline: Engineering Institution: University of Sheffield Please note: This story reflects the personal experience and perspective of its contributor. Academic careers vary widely, and others may experience different challenges and opportunities. Career Story For many years, I have been someone who always volunteers for things and always tries to help out when needed. Being that person has generally made me feel content in my academic role. I value being a good team player and contributing to the Department in a variety of ways. However, it has also meant that I have not progressed as well as I could or perhaps should have in other areas, particularly research, which is a key and absolute requirement for career progression. Looking back, I would tell myself this: it is important to be a good team player, but that does not mean it always has to be you doing all the things. One myth I have had to unlearn is that saying no will make people think I am no longer a helpful or good member of the team. That has not been true. In reality, most people understand, and in many cases respect, clearer boundaries. For those who don’t, I’m not necessarily the one in the wrong… Over time, I have become more selective about what I say yes to …
Be strategic with your time investment – set triaging criteria
This video from the Academic’s Success Guide, explains how using ‘triaging’ can help you to filter out the most meaningful opportunities, prioritise your work and be clear about what you say yes or no to in both the long and short term. It also helps you to find constructive language when saying yes and no to colleagues (or yourself!). “Initially I wanted to agree to all research projects. But I have diverse interests and my group started to feel incoherent and fragmented. Through a training session I was encouraged to give my lab a “vision” and “mission”. I also explicitly classified the projects into subgroups. I try not to take on any work that cannot fit into the vision/mission or groups. This has helped bring all lab members toward a common goal and helped define what I do to external parties.” Benjamin Lichman, Senior Research Fellow / Senior Lecturer, University of York. Read more from Benjamin. What will you take forward? One thing to try: What simple triaging criteria could you use to decide more confidently what to say yes to, no to, or not now, the next time an opportunity comes your way?
Be mindful of your capacity – use the Ferris wheel test
A simple metaphor for time and capacity management. As an established researcher, the challenge is rarely a lack of opportunity. It is managing too many meaningful, worthwhile requests within finite time and energy. Advice to “just say no” often feels unrealistic given the relational, reputational, and leadership dimensions of academic work. The Ferris wheel offers a practical way to think about capacity. Imagine yourself as the Ferris wheel operator. You are responsible for a ride with a fixed number of carriages. Each carriage has a clear capacity. Once they are full, adding more people isn’t generous or helpful. It’s unsafe, uncomfortable, and leads to a poor experience for everyone already on board. Overfilled Ferris wheels are often the result of saying yes to things you genuinely want to do: interesting projects, good collaborators, work that matters. This metaphor isn’t about disengagement. It’s about realism, including recognising that sometimes you have to say no even to opportunities you value. (This links closely to the idea of fishing sustainably from a river: you have to let some fish go). A good operator doesn’t overpromise when the wheel is full. They explain the risks of boarding and the wait time, allowing passengers to …
Be strategic with your time investment: Pay your future self
Many established researchers describe working in a constant state of response: dealing with urgent requests, keeping projects moving, and absorbing the needs of others. Over time, this can create a sense of firefighting, fatigue, and guilt about the work that never quite happens. This short exercise offers a way to step back and think more strategically about how you invest your time and attention. The Two-Account Idea: Most of us accept that in everyday life we need to manage both a current account to get by day to day and a pension account to look after our future self, and that neglecting either one eventually creates problems. Imagine your work time as being split between two accounts: If we only pay into the current account, we may cope in the short term but make life harder for our future self. A Short Reflection Without judging yourself, take a few minutes to consider: Now imagine a brief end-of-week review with your future self: One Small Shift: Rather than aiming for major change, consider one deliberate adjustment: A Prompt to Keep in Mind: At the end of a busy day or week, ask yourself:If my future self were reviewing this week, would …
Avoid overload: use digital wellbeing strategies
Researchers often work in digitally dense environments, characterised by high email volumes, overlapping meetings, multiple platforms, and frequent interruptions. The Digital Wellbeing Booklet explores how everyday digital practices can shape attention, workload, and perceived pressure at work. It introduces a set of practical, research-informed strategies that encourage readers to reflect on and experiment with their own digital habits. These include approaches to: In particular, take a look at the ‘Email Charter’ on page 24, to improve the way emails are used and the impact they have. Taken together, the booklet offers a structured way for established researchers to think critically about how digital tools are used in practice, and how small, intentional changes might support more sustainable and manageable working patterns alongside existing academic demands. What will you take forward? One thing to try: What digital habit causes the most disruption in your workday, and what simple change will you try to reduce its impact?
Five practical ways to save time on email using AI
Be careful not to share confidential information and adhere to any institutional guidance, such as on the choice of AI platforms. Finally, it’s not an AI solution, but a related resource is the ‘Email Charter’ on page 24 of the Digital Wellbeing Booklet. It lays out ten approaches to improve the way emails are used and the impact they have. What will you take forward? One thing to try: Which AI tool, if implemented immediately, would save you the most time or effort when managing your emails?
Carers and Careers in Academia: real life stories
A short (12 min), research-based film, based on research led by Professor Marie-Pierre Moreau, that surfaces the challenges faced by academics with caring responsibilities whilst trying to sustain their careers. It draws on lived experience to highlight enabling practices and common pitfalls. Topics include: This is not a “how-to” video, but it highlights what helps and what hinders academics with caring responsibilities, offering insight that can inform decisions, conversations, and leadership practice. “I remember the colleague who told me that I would never regret spending months with my dying father during research leave rather than working. I faced criticism for not producing outputs during that time. Their wisdom helped me to reorient myself around what really matters. Yes, my track record suffered temporarily. I would not trade that time with my Dad for anything.” Read more from this career story. What will you take forward? One thing to consider: What challenges were surfaced in this video that helped you to feel more seen or less isolated? Is there anyone you know that would benefit from learning about it?
Managing flexible working and caring responsibilities
At exactly the time in life that you are an established researcher, it is likely that you will also be juggling childcare, eldercare and other caring responsibilities, alongside one of the busiest periods in your professional life. You may also have many other reasons to want to work flexibly or part time. Even if you are not navigating these things yourself, it is possible that you will be managing people in your team who are. The Academic’s Success Guide has a section on managing flexible working and caring responsibilities that shares reflections from researchers on managing life and work, and advice from Kirstie Sneyd, an organisational psychologist and parent coach who specialises in supporting people to work flexibly and to manage work alongside family and caring responsibilities. In the guide you will find: “Balancing academia and family life is possible, but it requires thought. Autonomy and flexibility are real advantages if you use them deliberately. I took Wednesday afternoons off when my child was in nursery so we could spend time together. I have tried to be present for concerts, exams and important moments. It means catching up at other times, but that flexibility matters Family, health and being a whole …
‘Carenting’ – tips for anyone juggling life with caring for their elderly parents
Carenting is a practical, judgement-free resource for professionals juggling demanding roles alongside caring for older relatives. If you’re short on time, it offers clear explanations of what support exists, how to navigate complex care systems, and what to think about before you reach crisis point. You’ll find straightforward guidance, lived experience, and signposting that can save hours of searching and second-guessing. It’s particularly valuable for senior academics who are managing invisible caring responsibilities alongside leadership, research, and institutional demands, and want reliable information they can dip into as needed rather than another thing to “keep up with”. What will you take forward? One thing to try: What support or information referenced on the Carents website was most helpful? Who else would benefit from hearing about it if you passed it on?
Returning Well – A guide for working parents and their managers
Book recommendation: Sneyd, K. (2024). Returning Well: How to Make the Most of Your Parental Leave and Return to Work. Berlin: De Gruyter. ISBN: 978-3-11-161827-2. Returning Well focuses on the often-overlooked transition back to work after parental leave. Whilst not written for academics, it is highly relevant to academic contexts where roles are complex, workloads are porous, and expectations are rarely reset automatically. For anyone taking parental leave, the book offers practical guidance on preparing for leave, managing identity shifts, and returning in a way that is sustainable rather than driven by guilt or unrealistic productivity expectations. For those managing or leading others, it provides a clear lens on what makes returns successful in practice, including pacing, expectation-setting, psychological safety, and the role of everyday managerial behaviours. Its strength lies in treating parental leave not as a disruption to be “managed around,” but as a normal career transition that benefits from thoughtful planning, compassionate leadership, and realistic reintegration. “I learned that slowing down did not weaken my career trajectory. Contrary to my earlier worries, prioritising focus, recovery, and selectivity – particularly after maternity leave – did not reduce my academic impact. Instead, it strengthened the quality, coherence, and sustainability of …
Ten quick time management tips, from academics, for academics
This download from Imperial explains 10 time management tips that have been suggested or used by academics and researchers. “I developed what I call “snack writing” – short, focused writing sessions, usually in the morning when my brain works best. I could accomplish more in an hour in the morning than in three hours late at night.” Jamie Blaza, Research Fellow and Professor, University of York. Read more from Jamie. What will you take forward? One thing to try: Which one small change from these tips would make the biggest difference if you tried it this month?
Are you being efficient? Notice how you use time and energy in your day
This time management video introduces the ‘rocks of time’ idea that will help you to recognise how you spend packages of time throughout the day and to reflect on whether you are viewing and ordering your tasks in the most efficient and strategic way. “It is very easy to spend your day chasing reassuring small wins, often associated with administration, and to put off the bigger, harder tasks. For a while, I stopped writing grants without deadlines because they felt like something “for me”, and therefore easier to postpone. I now schedule grant writing time robustly in my diary. If I move it, I reschedule it. Otherwise, only I lose out.” Read more from this career story. What will you take forward? One thing to consider: Which big rock deserves more protected time in your diary than it currently receives?
Using AI to ease pain points and time sinks: starting points
Be careful not to share confidential information and adhere to any institutional guidance, such as on the choice of AI platforms. AI can be most useful to established researchers when it helps reduce friction in everyday leadership and management work rather than adding another capability to master. The examples below link common leadership pain points to light-touch, practical ways AI is already being used by senior academics and professional leaders to save time and mental energy. This is not about replacing academic expertise, automating judgement, or outsourcing intellectual work. It is not about using AI to write research papers, assess students, or bypass institutional responsibilities. Instead, it focuses on small, ethical, time-saving uses of AI that support clarity, reflection, and effectiveness in leadership and management roles, while keeping academic judgement, accountability, and integrity firmly with the individual. Common academic/ research leadership pain points and how AI can help: Where to explore further What will you take forward? One thing to try: Which everyday task that currently drains disproportionate time or energy, will you safely ease with AI support?
Be strategic with your time investment – apply the 80/20 rule
The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, states that roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. Although the principle came from observations of unequal wealth distribution, it has also been applied to think about use of resources for maximum productivity and might help you think about where to best target your effort. This blog on the Pareto Principle, written by an academic with a keen interest in productivity, shares examples of applying the principle to identify the 20% in your teaching, research and service that really makes a difference, in order to focus your efforts on that, and worry less about polishing the 80%. How might you apply this in some of the work you are engaged with at the moment? How will you identify the thing that really matters and ring-fence time to focus on that aspect, rather than on the noise? What will you take forward? One thing to consider: Where might 20% of your effort be generating most of your impact, and how could you protect more time for that?
Strategies for saying no effectively to allow for more deep work
Cal Newport is an author and computer science professor who is known for his work on productivity, digital minimalism, and the impact of technology on society. His writing on ‘deep work’ resonates with academics because it uses and gives examples from academia and research and, in this podcast on The Art of Saying No, he shares several strategies for saying no effectively, including: The “art of no” discussion is in the Deep Dive section of the podcast between 07:06 and 23:45. All of Cal Newport’s resources are available on his The Deep Life website. What will you take forward? One thing to consider: What kind of deep work do you most want to protect, and what would it feel like to make significant progress with it?
A reflection on nine months of saying no
In this blog, Prof Sue Fletcher-Watson (Professor of Developmental Psychology) shares progress on a ‘year of radical nos’. Read about what ended up being politely declined, what made the greatest difference to her time and what she found it more difficult to say no to. What will you take forward? One thing to consider: Learn from a senior academic’s lived experiment in saying no, including what made the biggest difference.
Avoid Overwhelm: Plan and review in waves
To prevent feeling overwhelmed, approach your planning in ‘waves’ or ‘horizons’, breaking down strategies and long-term activities into manageable phases. Planning too far ahead in intricate detail often leads to unrealistic expectations and potential setbacks and setting yourself up to feel a failure. An approach to consider: Rolling wave planning is used for projects where there are unknowns or risks, and so is very appropriate for research projects where all the data isn’t immediately available. You can learn more about the technique in the project management blog. This dynamic approach keeps your plans flexible, realistic, and aligned with evolving circumstances. ‘Stock-take’ to review progress Being strategic requires us to be honest with ourselves about where we are, what we have achieved, what’s working and what is getting in the way. In this video, you are guided through a structured process to review your career (have a pen and paper at the ready!). The same technique can also be used to review progress of a project, a relationship or collaboration, or a PhD student you are supervising. You can also download a Stock take – progress review (pdf) worksheet to use separately from the video or share with colleagues, students or collaborators. “Accept …
Reframe unhelpful beliefs about saying no
When new opportunities arise that you genuinely don’t have time or capacity for, they often trigger a familiar stream of shoulds and oughts. For many established researchers, this is accompanied by a strong inner critic warning that saying no makes you unhelpful, uncollegiate, or even professionally risky. You may notice worries about letting others down, damaging relationships, or missing out on future opportunities. It can be helpful to pause and notice these beliefs rather than taking them at face value. Guilt and fear of missing out are powerful signals, but they are not always reliable guides. In some situations, saying no may actually create space for others to step up, redistribute work more fairly, or protect the quality of the commitments you have already made. Try writing down the beliefs you hold about being someone who says no. Then gently test them. Are they always true? What evidence supports them, and what evidence contradicts them? What might be another, equally valid way of looking at the situation? Think of a role model or excellent mentor that you know well. How might they reframe it? “I’ll feel guilty when someone else has to take this on.” → Saying no allows work …
Develop a new habit: use structures and scripts
Requests are rarely the problem. How we respond to them, often in the moment and under pressure, is. This resource offers practical structures and ready-to-use language to help you respond to requests with clarity and confidence, without relying on willpower in the heat of the moment or damaging important relationships. As an established researcher, you can probably predict the types of requests you encounter, even if you can’t predict when they will arise or who they will come from. When caught off guard, it’s easy to default to saying yes. Do you recognise the pattern of agreeing quickly, then later feeling regret, pressure, or guilt? Saying no can feel awkward, and many of us were never taught how to do it well. That’s no reason not to learn. It’s a skill like any other, and one that can be developed deliberately. One way to do this is to use structures and scripts as stabilisers while you’re learning, like support wheels on a bike or a trellis that helps a young plant grow upright until it can stand on its own. A short planning activity Write a list of activities or responsibilities that you’ve taken on in the past and then …
Let things go: you’re fishing from a river, not a pond
As an established researcher, it is important to accept that you will let some things go, including opportunities you would have enjoyed, gained recognition from, or that have served you well in the past. A helpful phrase to hold in mind is: “What got you here won’t get you there.” Many of the activities you do well, that others value, and that you may genuinely enjoy, will have helped you to become established in your career. Over time, however, these same activities can begin to crowd out space for the next phase of your development. Habits that were useful earlier on like saying yes and taking on admin roles can quietly become constraints. Think of your early career as fishing from a pond of opportunities. The pond was relatively contained, and with effort and enthusiasm it was possible to try a wide range of things and catch almost everything. Saying yes helped you build skills, raise your profile, test career directions, and gain credibility. Catching all the fish was hard work, but achievable. As an established researcher, that pond has become a flowing river (or raging torrent!). Opportunities are now abundant and continuously arriving. It is no longer possible, or …
Step out of the ‘Waiting Room’ for the mythical quiet periods
Stop postponing your plans, waiting for things to “calm down” or expecting your diary to magically clear after a certain date. That horizon you envision is elusive – no matter how close you get, it will always fill up with new commitments. We often have an overly optimistic view of how much time our future selves will have, but this is rarely accurate. Take some time to review your calendar from the past year or so. Identify recurring themes and activities and reflect on how long these tasks actually took in reality, not just how long you think they took now that time has passed. Consider examples such as: Using these insights, pre-populate your diary for the next two years with realistic estimates of these generic activities. Your diary will soon fill. If, in the end, some of these commitments don’t materialise, you’ll find yourself with bonus free time to enjoy or reallocate. What will you take forward? One thing to try: What are you currently postponing for a mythical quiet period, and what would be the worst that could happen if you started anyway?
Values based decision making and prioritising – can you identify and name your values?
A values-based approach to decision making can help you clarify what matters most to you. When you are clear on your values, it becomes easier and more purposeful to say yes, no, or not now. Decisions feel less reactive and more intentional. It can also increase motivation. When a task genuinely aligns with your values, you are more likely to engage with it fully and sustain your effort over time. The difficulty is that many of us struggle to articulate our values clearly. Day to day pressures can pull us away from them, and without that connection we may find ourselves committing to activities without a compelling reason for doing so. Think about the decisions you’ve had to make about your commitments over the past week: a request to join a committee or review a paper, an invitation to lead a work-package on a grant, to act as external examiner. What truly aligns with your values and the things you want to feel proud of in your career and life? Whilst some of these activities might be non-negotiable, others might be for another time or could be adapted slightly to ensure they allow you to really live your values. For …
Create a Gantt Chart – even if it’s imperfect and you only do it once!
Gantt charts are divisive in the planning world – love them or hate them, they can save time and aid influence and negotiation. While often criticised for being created then ignored, they hold value even as a one-off exercise. Why? Even an imperfect Gantt chart can clarify milestones, highlight potential workload bottlenecks, and prompt decisions. Use them to suggest ideal deadlines, demonstrate periods of high pressure, and justify changes in priorities, rescheduling, or resource requests. Visual timelines make it easier to persuade others than simply claiming, “I won’t have capacity then.” Gantt charts also help identify lighter periods for progressing lower-priority tasks or scheduling breaks. They reveal task dependencies to encourage timely completions and highlight independent activities that can be tackled during quieter spells. Moreover, they foster realistic expectations about task durations and clarify mutual support timelines within teams. Not sure how to make a start? Learn more here in the Research Whisperers blog that gives a simple guide to creating a Gantt Chart. What will you take forward? One thing to consider: What would become easier to explain or negotiate if you could show your workload visually rather than holding it in your head?
Peer Discussion Guide: Working smarter with the time you have
This guide is designed for peer-facilitated discussion to help you get more from the established researcher resources. It curates a small selection of related resources and offers a light structure for reflection and conversation. They are not training sessions. They are structured opportunities to pause, think, and learn with others. There is no expert facilitator in the room. Everyone participates as an equal, taking shared responsibility for holding the structure, time, and quality of the conversation. Our Peer Discussion Guides Find out more about our Peer Discussion Guides and how you can use them to help you get more from our established researcher resources.
Peer Discussion Guide: Protecting your time (saying yes, no, and not now)
This guide is designed for peer-facilitated discussion to help you get more from the established researcher resources. It curates a small selection of related resources and offers a light structure for reflection and conversation. They are not training sessions. They are structured opportunities to pause, think, and learn with others. There is no expert facilitator in the room. Everyone participates as an equal, taking shared responsibility for holding the structure, time, and quality of the conversation. Our Peer Discussion Guides Find out more about our Peer Discussion Guides and how you can use them to help you get more from our established researcher resources.
Peer Discussion Guide: Being more strategic with your time and workload
This guide is designed for peer-facilitated discussion to help you get more from the established researcher resources. It curates a small selection of related resources and offers a light structure for reflection and conversation. They are not training sessions. They are structured opportunities to pause, think, and learn with others. There is no expert facilitator in the room. Everyone participates as an equal, taking shared responsibility for holding the structure, time, and quality of the conversation. Our Peer Discussion Guides Find out more about our Peer Discussion Guides and how you can use them to help you get more from our established researcher resources.
Planning multiple activity/ year strands: use a Work Breakdown Structure approach
At an established career stage, work rarely comes in neat, single-track projects. Most established researchers are holding multiple strands at once: long-running research programmes, teaching and supervision, leadership or departmental roles, external commitments, and opportunities that arrive mid-cycle. These strands sit on different timescales, are owned by different people, and often come with expectations that are only partly explicit. Individually, each strand may feel manageable. Collectively, they can create a persistent sense of overload, uncertainty, or even stress and anxiety. One experienced academic described their solution simply: “Every year or so, I need to see everything in one place.” Their approach was deliberately practical. They started by mapping all current and anticipated tasks and activities on a single large whiteboard, often beginning with a loose mind map. The map would soon reveal themes or work strands. For each strand, they identified the person who ultimately defined success (not necessarily themselves!). This might be a programme director, head of department, collaborator, or mentor. Naming this authority helped replace assumptions that could lead to overwhelm with conversations. Each strand was then built out to include: They also added a final layer: purpose. Why does this matter? What does it contribute to career …
Acknowledge that it’s impossible to excel at everything simultaneously
Give yourself a break. Understand and plan for the fact that different elements of your career and personal life will progress at varying times and rates, and that’s perfectly fine. Many established researchers often feel demotivated, believing they’re not making significant progress across all areas—whether it’s research outputs, visibility and reputation, teaching programmes, research group development, or personal roles like being a parent, spouse, or carer. Instead of dwelling on what you haven’t achieved, focus on celebrating what you have accomplished. Adopt a positive psychology approach by intentionally dedicating periods of time to excel in one area. For example, decide, “This day/week/month/year, I’m focusing on advancing element X of my career and feeling good about this progress. I accept that elements Y and Z may slow down or pause, but next day/week/month/year, I’ll shift my focus to element Y, allowing X to take a back seat.” Each month, make an appointment with yourself to take a few minutes to reflect on and celebrate the progress you’ve made and the tasks you’ve completed, rather than focussing solely on what remains on your to-do list. Seeking inspiration? This blog from Tress Academic suggests five small wins to celebrate and serves as a …
Peer Discussion Guide: Putting your energy where it matters
This guide is designed for peer-facilitated discussion to help you get more from the established researcher resources. It curates a small selection of related resources and offers a light structure for reflection and conversation. They are not training sessions. They are structured opportunities to pause, think, and learn with others. There is no expert facilitator in the room. Everyone participates as an equal, taking shared responsibility for holding the structure, time, and quality of the conversation. Our Peer Discussion Guides Find out more about our Peer Discussion Guides and how you can use them to help you get more from our established researcher resources.