Helping academics find joy, meaning, and balance
Let's face it: your average introverted academic would rather encounter the three terrors of the fire swamp than a conference networking event. And who can blame us? The awkwardness of small talk combined with the pressure of meeting the people who will review your publications, assess your grant proposals, and rank your job applications is… Continue reading Conference networking, or, surviving the terrors of the academic fire swamp
Normally at this time of year (spring), I'm getting ready to head to one of the big annual geography conferences. Although I'm taking a break this year, I'm noticing my colleagues' excitement as they share news of their upcoming panels and presentations across social media. At their best, academic conferences let us share research, catch… Continue reading Conference presentations: 6 ways to make an impact
One of the supposed perks of academic work is the flexibility to set your own schedule. With regular breaks from teaching built into the academic calendar, it should be easy for scholars to take time off, relax, and recharge. Unfortunately, this very flexibility often translates into a lack of boundaries and an inability to truly… Continue reading How to take time off
Academic work is never really finished. Every paper could use more edits. The literature review will never be exhaustive. You can never be too prepared for class. I've found that academic work will expand to fill every hour you're willing to give it. And your institution, colleagues, supervisors, and students will be only too happy to take as much as you can give.
No, I'm not talking about saving money (although that's pretty important, too). "It's never too soon to save" is a little mental reminder that I periodically chant when I'm writing. Yeah, it seems painfully obvious. Save your work. Back up your data. But, like saving money, it's something a lot of us either put off,… Continue reading It’s never too soon to save