In academia, it's easy to become a workaholic because the system expects it of you. For academics, pressure is high to be excellent in not only teaching but also research. For students, too, there's never a break with academic work always hanging over you. Even when you want to have a night off an enjoy time with friends, I often feel as a PhD student that I should be reading or transcribing or coding instead.
Now that the academic year has finished for undergrads (although of course it ramps up for Masters students working on their dissertations and always continues for PhDs), I think it's important to take a break. For me, this helps me to give closure to the last few months which have been very intense and allow me some space to think, come up with new ideas, plan for and gain energy for the busy year ahead. Summertime is the perfect time to do this.
Even though I always bring one academic book with me to read on the plane, I've been relishing the time to catch up with my parents, go hiking in Cinque Terre, try delicious local foods, and explore new areas. Italy has been a fantastic place to help me rejuvenate so that, when I'm back, I can pour my new energy into the conferences I will be presenting at as well as some time to think about writing journal articles. I'd encourage everyone in academia to indulge themselves by enjoying some time off this summer, and resist the urge to take your work with you since, if you do, you will feel some much more relaxed and rejuvenated when you return. I certainly do!
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