Boundaries (Episode 14) | Sarah is out of the office, and she means it this time!
“Know that if you are in a difficult workplace culture simply working on your boundaries is a form of quiet activism and taking a stand for yourself and for others.”
This episode is coming out during the Easter bank holiday week in the UK and Sarah is off work. So this pre-recorded episode of the Research Adjacent podcast is all about boundaries. Host Sarah McLusky explores why it can be so hard for research-adjacent folks to really take time off.
Boundaries can be challenging in the research-adjacent world
Academics are notorious for having poor work-life balance. That means that research-adjacent folks can get sucked into an ‘always-on’ workplace culture the encroaches on holidays and leisure time. Sarah considers how to push back against this and start to build healthier boundaries – starting with holiday time.
“I think the key thing when it comes to boundaries is managing expectations. And if you get a reputation for replying to emails at all hours and during holidays then people will expect that.“
Out of office like you mean it
In this episode Sarah addresses
- Why setting and holding boundaries can be particularly challenging in the research-adjacent world
- Setting boundaries and taking leave as a form of quiet activism
- Managing expectations and managing our own behaviour
- Why we are all, always, a work in progress
If you need more support navigating your research-adjacent career, Sarah offers 1-to-1 coaching and mentoring – find out more here.
Find out more
- Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
- Read the Wellcome report on research culture or explore the Royal Society’s Changing expectations web pages
- Learn more about Parkinson’s Law
Theme music by Vitaliy Levkin from Pixabay
