For a moment, I stop taking notes. My office melts away in my periphery and the participant’s voice echoes in my head. This is the last question of the interview. The entire call has been difficult, there is nothing light-hearted about discussing trauma, but I didn’t expect things to take such a turn right before we finished.
I cannot stop them from talking, but the more I listen, the more images from my own life flash across my eyes. I cannot block them out. Later, I will be glad we record each interview because the notes page in front of me is completely empty.
The participant finishes recounting and I force myself to nod and speak. “I see, thank you so much for sharing this with me. I am sorry, this must have been very hard for you to experience. Would you like a minute before we move towards closing the interview?” That may have been a selfish ask and I am disappointed when they decline. “That is fine. We can close now. Thank you again for your time today. This has been very helpful. I will be in touch later today with the voucher code. Goodbye.” My smile drops the second I click ‘Leave’.
With the day I have been having so far, the back-to-back meetings, research methods seminars, proofreading sessions, and the impending doom of unopened and unanswered emails, the interview has really left its mark.
Tea. I need tea before I even attempt to write up my notes.
The kitchenette is empty. I boil the kettle, and as I wait, I dissociate from everything around me, only to be jolted back to the present by my colleague’s alarmed voice. They have taken the kettle from my hand and are asking if I am okay. I look down and see the teacup overflowing with boiling water, running down the sides onto my hand.
I scream.
Being a researcher is not easy. It comes with unique stressors that can make accomplishing day-to-day tasks challenging. I am an early-career researcher, working as a Research Assistant on the MRC-funded U-Belong project, and I want to use this space to reflect on my experiences and observations of the research process, as well as ways in which I believe we can navigate the high-pressure environment of our work.
I have only recently graduated from university, and I can already feel the immovable force of burnout that researchers and academics experience. There are grants to write, papers to submit for publishing in high-impact journals, classes to teach and assignments to mark, several research projects to carry out, and an infinite number of emails to answer. The work never seems to end. There isn’t even any space to engage in extracurricular activities. Then the research aspect itself can be very emotionally demanding, especially if the researcher is studying phenomena they have experienced themself.
Be objective, driven, motivated, and always on the move.
It is not nearly as simple, nor is it a reasonable demand. Career progression and promotions are often entirely dependent on publications in high-impact journals, presentations in international conferences, and procuring large amounts of funding for “groundbreaking” research. There is also a circular argument here, wherein being able to acquire funding requires previous demonstration of quality research, but funding is necessary to conduct said research. This creates such enormous pressure on researchers to keep working without stopping to evaluate how their work is making them feel and the effect this pressure is having on them. Clearly, structural changes to the ways that universities and funding bodies function are necessary and long due to relieve the pressure on researchers.
While we continue to advocate for this, there are things researchers can do to manage their wellbeing to prevent things from boiling over to the point of disillusionment. If you think about it, our work and our (emotional, physical and mental) capacity are like a teacup brimming with hot liquid. And no matter how excited we are to drink it, things can go wrong. As we keep this analogy in mind, let’s explore some problems and solutions.
Overfilled Teacup
Sometimes there are miscalculations and the tea overflows. Similarly, sometimes we get engaged in work beyond our capacity, and this can have spillover effects on other things we are doing. If this was just tea, how would you prevent the leak from spreading too far? And if it already has, how would you manage the mess? A saucer/plate and a tissue, perhaps? In the workplace, this translates to coworkers you are close to. When things become overwhelming, it can help to just talk to someone about it, who can help absorb the negative feelings you are experiencing and be a safety net to fall back on. I do it, and it helps tremendously.
Scalding Hot
My tea is often too hot to drink. My first reaction is always dismay at ruining the drink. But actually, when I take a step back from it and let it cool, it reaches the perfect state. Work can also be like that, appearing too unapproachable and difficult to conquer. This can be because it objectively is so, or because you don’t feel prepared to start for the time being. A step back can do wonders in giving you the space to really introspect and become ready for it.
Flavour Trouble
Taking time away is not always possible, though. What if the tea is just inherently too sweet, bitter, or diluted? For me, this is the perfect excuse to have snacks and balance out the taste of the tea. What snack I choose depends on what is wrong with the tea, but it always helps. If work is too monotonous and it drops your motivation, consider listening to an audiobook or some music alongside to make it more enjoyable. Similarly, if it is too emotionally or mentally demanding, do it in shorter bursts and alternate with something that is less so.
Miscalculating Cool-Off Period
Have you ever added hot water to a half-drunk cup of tea and then burnt yourself because it is hotter than you had expected? This happens because the tea inside the cup is not completely cool, and the heat compounds. Our threshold for burnout works similarly. The first time you experience it, it takes a long time and a significant amount of work to reach the point of exhaustion. Then, you take a short break and go back, and this time, it takes less time and work to relapse, because you haven’t fully recovered. The more this happens, the quicker you reach burnout. So, taking meaningful breaks can make a real difference to your wellbeing.
Intermittent Heating
Waiting for the tea to completely cool down is ideal, but that too may not always be possible; sometimes you just don’t have the time. Therefore, you would want to keep checking your cup of tea as you add hot water to it to see when it reaches the right temperature, instead of waiting for it to burn you. Your wellbeing should be no different. You should not wait to burn out to take a break. You should introspect and check up on yourself from time to time to evaluate if you need to slow down, erring on the side of caution.
Researchers form the fabric of innovation. You and your expertise are integral to your work, but your achievements will be limited if you are not doing okay. If there is one thing you take away from this article, other than a strong craving for tea, it is that prioritising your wellbeing is necessary.
Next time you drink tea, I hope you will be prompted to think about your wellbeing. And hey, who am I to tell anyone how to take their tea, but a biscuit (or three) with tea would only make it more enjoyable.
