Head Space

Calm productivity for academics

No longer active

This site is now an archive of my previous work. I have moved all my ongoing writing to https://michael-rowe.github.io/home-michael/

Category: Refining Practice

  • Fostering a culture of guilt-free time off

    Feeling guilty about taking time off work is common in academia. This guilt often stems from organisational culture where everyone is expected to work during leave. To break free from this guilt trap, we need a strong culture that values time off, starting with leadership and permeating the entire organisation.

  • Academic burnout prevention: The power of doing nothing

    From conference deadlines to funding applications, academia’s relentless pace makes it hard to disconnect. Learn how to prevent academic burnout by embracing genuine downtime, implementing digital boundaries, and recognising that rest isn’t a reward for productivity – it’s a fundamental human need.

  • Slower scholarship for greater impact

    In academia’s ‘publish or perish’ culture, quality often suffers for quantity. This post advocates for slower scholarship, emphasising how prioritising quality over quantity in academic publishing can lead to more impactful research and greater personal satisfaction. Learn practical strategies to integrate this approach into your daily academic practice for meaningful contributions to your field.

  • Overcoming academic conference fatigue

    Academic conference fatigue is a growing concern where traditional programmes often lack the time for reflection and meaningful connections. However, there are alternatives, like communities and unconferences, which offer more sustainable and enriching forms of professional growth. This post proposes several strategies to improve conference experiences, including dedicated reflection time and “slow learning” tracks.

  • Leverage your peak productivity hours

    You only have 3-4 hours of peak cognitive productivity per day. Identify when you feel most focused and protect that time for demanding tasks. Batch easier activities during lower energy periods. Tracking energy levels, prioritising tasks, creating routines, taking breaks, and guarding peak times can help maximise your limited productive hours.

  • You are not your output: Overcoming productivity debt

    Productivity debt – the notion that we start each day in deficit, struggling to meet an imagined standard of bare-minimum acceptability – can be damaging to our well-being and self-worth. But what if, instead of seeing ourselves as perpetually behind, we started with the notion that we are enough, exactly as we are?

  • Tony Fadell: Build

    Build, by Tony Fadell, combines career insights and product innovation advice from the creator of the iPod and Nest thermostat. His book provides a blueprint for high-impact career choices, iterative development, and leadership, making it valuable for anyone interested in innovative design or who is looking for a radical perspective on academic career development.

  • Improve academic writing with classic style

    Good writing prioritises clear presentation of ideas with a focus on structure, logic, and function, akin to architecture rather than decoration. Classic style, which advocates simplicity, truth, and conversation-like diction, is recommended for its clarity and authority. Overly complex academic writing should be avoided in favor of minimalism and functionality to effectively convey research and…

  • Minimalist data presentation

    Overloading data presentations with excessive design elements can overwhelm and confuse the audience. Adopting a minimalist approach by removing unnecessary clutter enhances clarity and focuses attention on the key message. This principle of simplicity could similarly reduce stress and improve efficacy in daily academic work.

  • Saying no in academia: A guide to protecting your time and focus

    Academic life thrives on collaboration and contribution, but constant invitations to participate in new projects can quickly become overwhelming. Learn how mastering the art of saying no in academia isn’t about disinterest, but about strategic self-care and intentionality that allows you to contribute meaningfully on your own terms.

  • Thinking with others

    Explore the concept of reading academic texts as a process of thinking with others, as a way of interpreting their writing.

  • Streamline your research with AI PDF analysis tools in the browser

    Looking for a smarter way to work with research papers? Learn how to leverage AI PDF analysis tools built into Edge browser’s Copilot sidebar for immediate document processing and analysis. This powerful feature helps academics engage with research materials more efficiently, though some advanced features require an Enterprise license.