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Yes, as a researcher, I will be working over the winter break. But that's what I want to do! I guess it is the people who love their job so much they do it on t

Yes, as a researcher, I will be working over the winter break. But that's what I want to do! I guess it is the people who love their job so much they do it on their time off that lowers the bar for everyone else

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
nr2x 7y ago
You can love your job and also love your family, and holidays are primarily about time with family. If one prioritizes one “love” for another you either fall behind professionally or live long enough to regret the decisions you made. The problem is people with families shouldn’t be forced into that choice as it is cruel to all involved. I’m early stage academic and my mother in law is late stage. My MIL missed a lot of my wife’s childhood and if she could go back in time she’d prioritize differently which is why I’m taking next week off to spend with my kid.
- bachmeier 7y ago
  > You can love your job and also love your family, and holidays are primarily about time with family. The problem is that academics at many institutions have two jobs. During the school year, they are teaching, doing service work, and generally have so many distractions that it's hard to do research. During breaks, the job turns into a full-time research position. Of course you're going to want to work over break - especially if you're aiming for a promotion that depends on research. The current system requires you to do forty hours a week of routine stuff that won't get you promoted or get you an outside offer, and once you've done that you can work on your promotion and/or outside offer.
  - nr2x 7y ago
    Precisely my point, near-term overwork for a possibility of a “permanent” job later on, but many people who get there sacrifice family life, get divorced, and win something of a pyrrich victory in the end: a lifetime job with nobody to share it with. Not true for everybody but I’ve spent my entire career at ultra-elite tier places and the divorce rates are far in excess of average. Pretty sure 50% of tenured faculty at my grad institution were still unmarried well past 40 or divorced. I’m not suggesting one must be married with kids to have a perfect life, but the current system is weeding out anybody who wants that.
dumbasbuck 7y ago
'Every once in a while we are sure.' (Quoting someone on the internet) @:'Reviewing is the center of the mission'

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

nr2x 7y ago

You can love your job and also love your family, and holidays are primarily about time with family. If one prioritizes one “love” for another you either fall behind professionally or live long enough to regret the decisions you made. The problem is people with families shouldn’t be forced into that choice as it is cruel to all involved. I’m early stage academic and my mother in law is late stage. My MIL missed a lot of my wife’s childhood and if she could go back in time she’d prioritize differently which is why I’m taking next week off to spend with my kid.

bachmeier 7y ago
> You can love your job and also love your family, and holidays are primarily about time with family. The problem is that academics at many institutions have two jobs. During the school year, they are teaching, doing service work, and generally have so many distractions that it's hard to do research. During breaks, the job turns into a full-time research position. Of course you're going to want to work over break - especially if you're aiming for a promotion that depends on research. The current system requires you to do forty hours a week of routine stuff that won't get you promoted or get you an outside offer, and once you've done that you can work on your promotion and/or outside offer.
- nr2x 7y ago
  Precisely my point, near-term overwork for a possibility of a “permanent” job later on, but many people who get there sacrifice family life, get divorced, and win something of a pyrrich victory in the end: a lifetime job with nobody to share it with. Not true for everybody but I’ve spent my entire career at ultra-elite tier places and the divorce rates are far in excess of average. Pretty sure 50% of tenured faculty at my grad institution were still unmarried well past 40 or divorced. I’m not suggesting one must be married with kids to have a perfect life, but the current system is weeding out anybody who wants that.

dumbasbuck 7y ago

'Every once in a while we are sure.' (Quoting someone on the internet) @:'Reviewing is the center of the mission'