Unplug from academia

Advice for academics on how to switch off and not feel guilty

Unplug from academia

In a field where burnout is common and the line between work and personal life is regularly blurred, taking time out to unwind from a job in higher education is vital. While it’s easier said than done, placing an emphasis on self-care and relaxation can improve well-being, boost creativity and make you a better colleague. This collection features advice on how to unplug from the hustle.

Let’s prioritise self-care for the benefit of everyone

Self-care can make us better at our jobs, support our students more effectively and help to build a better community across academia. Karina Dancza offers her tips on how to implement self-care in your professional life

Karina Dancza

Singapore Institute of Technology

Self care for academics

Woman walking past a field of yellow flowers

Walk the walk to benefit your academic research

Walking can be used to benefit academic research, help with problem-solving and promote creative thinking. Here, Anna Lois McKay explains the different ways it works

Anna Lois McKay

University of Leicester

balancing stones

Recognise work-life imbalance and restore resilience

How can academics stay energised and resilient? The first step, says Aaron Davis, is take stock of those tasks and worries that deplete energy, then add activities that refill your cup

Aaron Davis

University of Washington

The stress continuum is a traffic light system that might help university staff and students discuss well-being

Conversations around stress must move beyond ‘I’m fine, how are you?’

Sara Metz offers practical advice on adopting the ‘stress continuum’ – a shared language and system to help staff and students reflect upon and discuss their well-being

Sara Metz

Colorado State University Global

Managing workloads

Tame the to-do list and manage an academic workload

Reduce procrastination, forget multitasking and get the to-do list done. From delegating to prioritising urgent versus important tasks, here are six practical ways to balance teaching, research and service for university faculty

Kaihan Yang , Ben K. Goh

Macau University of Science and Technology

How to survive the academic treadmill

When working hours are stretched to cover marking, induction and other tasks, what is a busy scholar to do? Here, James Derounian offers suggestions for taking essential downtime

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Avoid burnout in higher education

How to manage your busyness to avoid burnout

How to manage your busyness to avoid burnout

Overwork and stress are growing issues among academics, particularly following the sudden transition to online teaching. Erin Wilson talks through how she manages her busyness to avoid burnout

Erin Wilson

University of Groningen

Using a calendar to plan ideal uses of time can help academics avoid burnout

A calendar activity that can help in the battle against burnout

Working out how you want to spend your time versus how you actually spend it can be a useful tool for ensuring investment in your physical and mental health, says Sara Metz

Sara Metz

Colorado State University Global

A row of matches becomes increasingly more burnt out

Stamp out burnout early on: how to spot the signs and what to do about them

Academic life has always been a breeding ground for burnout. Şerife Eyüpoğlu of Near East University points out the warning signs of extreme exhaustion

Şerife Eyüpoğlu

Near East University

Set healthy boundaries

Early career researchers can say no, too

Coming up with a series of questions for ECRs about each ‘opportunity’ as it arises can help them decide what is worthy of their time, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

The boundaries to set so your students don’t take over your life

As the role of university teacher evolves, a key workplace challenge is how to offer proximity without becoming a 24/7 bot service

Ingrid Benavides , Adela Vega

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Get the balance right

A young woman exploring a forest

The four-day week in higher education: can we make it work?

With a culture of overwork eroding well-being among UK university staff, could a four-day working week be part of the solution? Rushana Khusainova looks at whether this mode of working is feasible in higher education

Rushana Khusainova

University of Bristol

Man playing mandolin

Why my hobbies make me a better scholar

Non-academic skills, both motor and cognitive, can enrich research capabilities in unexpected and often unexamined ways, writes Stephen W. Harmon

Stephen W. Harmon

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Part-time work could be a great option for work-life balance

In the search for work-life balance, going part-time could provide an answer

James Derounian makes the case for part-time work, particularly as academics advance in their careers – and gives tips on how to begin the transition and make a success of it

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Work-life balance in academia can be achieved, but it's not easy

You can have it all, just not all at once

It might just be possible to achieve a good work-life balance in academia, but it requires focusing on certain areas of your life and career at certain times, says Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney