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Calm productivity for academics
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.
[Note] What if good scholarship looks like laziness?
“To put it another way: become hard to reach, avoid new tech tools, be slow to answer e-mails, become blissfully ignorant of memes, turn down coffee requests, refuse to “hop on” calls, and spend whole days outside working in a single idea—these are exactly the type of lazy behaviors that can change the world.” -…
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.
[Note] Adapting to machines and their standards
“We find ourselves adapting to machines and hold ourselves to their standards: People are judged by the speed with which they respond, not the quality of their response.” – Robert Poynton
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.