This is an important read about commitment and identity with respect to the work you do. Although not everyone will have underlying illnesses the fallout can be as severe.
Looking back at my academic career I see many parallels in the "costs" mentioned:
- sold my twenties to institutes/labs
- traveled too much
- gave too much of myself away (for free)
- strain on mental health
@koen_hufkens oof, harrowing.
"I would have kept my identity separate from my projects." - great advice for past me (and probably a lot of PhD candidates). It was a tough lesson to learn that equating academic success (or lack thereof) with my identity was a bad move.
...this is tough in academia. I was *great* at separating my identity from my research work, set boundaries - and that was an issue. "You are not serious enough"
I understand, and have seen, that entire essay. Its also been me, trying to find work and fuck. I'm *still* doing a paper review for zero money as in not paid in any way shape or form.
Anyway yes, work is work. Life is life. No matter how tempting, keep a boundary. Even if you love the work.
@koen_hufkens @DrEvanGowan @michcampbell
My advisors / colleagues (they were the same, I'd been working in the group for years and also publishing...) were OK. I was growing a family and pioneering remote PhDing at the time. It was hitting a broader group where that approach of "not serious enough" came in.
Later, as a mentor / leader in field science - what's the first thing we do? be safe have fun. Not so appreciated in the senior seniorship (again, not serious enough!)
@adamsteer @koen_hufkens @DrEvanGowan
Have fun, look cool, be safe.
Some people take it all too seriously. In our one precious life we're not meant to have fun? Crazy attitude to have!
@michcampbell @koen_hufkens @DrEvanGowan
yeah safety third. After looking good and having fun.
It's what you tell clients after HR isn't listening!
And yeah. For polar fieldwork especially! *approved fun* only.... Not making life generally awesome while you're out skiing about collecting data on places no human has even been, or will ever be again...
We were actually criticised for that: "you just want to go skiing".
Well yes, we also have way more training and safety stuff etc etc...
"The house I live in matters more than the code I ship." (From the post you linked.) Sounds like moral growth as well.
@koen_hufkens it's an excellent post and we need more of these. The lesson is clear: at one point we need to switch from a productivity mindset to a longevity mindset and we need to make sure that our mentees learn this without personal trauma.
I've seen so many talented people burn out, even commit suicide due to the pressure they put on themselves. Being half as productive but being able to do it three times longer is a net gain on its own and the difference tends to be pure fun.
Everybody's talking about open source and academia, but I immediately thought of how many for-profit company bosses would just take ruthless advantage of a guy like that and work him into the ground.
Wim Godden
Koen Hufkens, PhD
Dr Micha Campbell
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Dr. Evan J. Gowan
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