Slow down sometimes…

Being in academic research means long hours consisting of experiments, meetings, and of course, data processing. I often spend my week working 70 hours or more especially when experiments are working and you are on the brink of discovering something new and exciting. I don’t sleep much, or well for that matter, and I often am consumed by my work at home, logging in to my work computer to get that extra processing started before I go to bed for the night. Although working hard, and enjoying what you do are important things in any career, I often feel like I am so overwhelmed with the fear of not doing enough, mainly because I hold myself to such a high standard. You don’t have to be in research academia to feel this way, and I bet juggling multiple jobs, or having a few kids can leave you feeling almost burnt out, but I want to remind you…SLOW DOWN.

Yes, you are incredible for working as hard as you do, whether it is taking care of a family or working that 9-5 job plus some overtime. But for YOU, just slow down once in a while; whether it is taking an hour out of your day to exercise, craft, or sit in silence, just remember to recharge. I always tend to forget, and it usually takes a few nights of not the best sleep and my boyfriend reminding me that the work will get done, and that doesn’t mean I can’t crotchet or cross stitch for an hour, or take my dog to the dog park and just relax. Being highly productive is important, but it is also important to take that time for you too.

So next time you work a crazy week, or have a lot of family obligations, please just remember to take care of yourself. Whatever time you can spare, whether it is 15 minutes or more, just sit and relax. The best you isn’t seen when you running on empty, the best you is when you are rested and relaxed to take on whatever the world may throw at you.

Work hard, but remember to slow down sometimes.