• Question: do you find science gets in the way of your personal life?

    Asked by anon-227008 to William, Thibaut "Tibo", Harry, Georgia, Emily, Aimee on 15 Nov 2019.
    • Photo: William Wiseman

      William Wiseman answered on 15 Nov 2019:


      Only if you let it. There is often pressure to work longer hours but the important thing to remember is work never stops, there is always something left to do on the next day. Knowing when to switch off your laptop at the end of the day is important.

    • Photo: Aimee Egglestone

      Aimee Egglestone answered on 15 Nov 2019: last edited 15 Nov 2019 11:02 am


      Not very often, but sometimes an experiment will run over, or I’ll find myself obsessing over a reaction and how or why it isn’t working how it should!

    • Photo: Thibaut Deviese

      Thibaut Deviese answered on 16 Nov 2019:


      It can sometimes keep you mind very busy even after you left the laboratory. You keep thinking why something do not work and what to try next… It is important to have moments in which you do not think about work so you come back with a fresh mind (and maybe new ideas!).

    • Photo: Georgia Orton

      Georgia Orton answered on 18 Nov 2019:


      When I was studying it used to, and it used to make me very stressed. Now I make sure that I leave work on time and make sure I’m doing my hobbies too.

    • Photo: Emily Sparkes

      Emily Sparkes answered on 18 Nov 2019:


      Sometimes. As William said, it’s important not to let it. There’s an unpleasant culture in academia that encourages you to have no social life and be in the lab all hours of the day. It try my best not to let it, but I have had weekends interrupted by having to go into the lab (E. coli doesn’t understand the concept of a weekend…).

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