The Power of Procrastination

While this video is certainly not new, I watched it for the first time in full today and realized how close to home Dr. Jorge Cham hits with his "Power of Procrastination" series. The author of the popular (and accurately hilarious) PhD comic series gives some hilarious and insightful seminars on life in academia. Too bad the audience for this talk didn't think the same as me, as I was laughing the entire time :D

I think what hits closest to home for me and my experience in grad school is the work guilt that life in academia brings. The feeling that we ALWAYS have something that needs to be done, finished, written, etc, and with a list that seems never-ending and that can't be shut-off in a way that people that work a more 'normal' 9 to 5 job can. I feel that in my time in research I've been able to figure out a way to balance the academic guilt with my own personal goals and needs in a way that my life-work balance has been decent, but I do recognize those moments when the guilt seems overwhelming and can detract from enjoying life at a more relaxed pace and how those moments would cause me nights of anxiety and stress.

I'm also thankful for my own 'procrastination' from my scientific research: time spent with grad school friends having drinks and playing board games as a break from work, travels with my husband (not for a conference or for family, but just for the heck of it!), meeting new friends through conferences, and in all the work I did for SETAC that made me feel accomplished in a way beyond what my own publications and research findings ever did for me. While part of me always wonders what I could have done with my time had I not done these things instead, I am always grateful for the peace of mind and joy that time spent on what I 'wanted' to do brought me and hope that other grad students can find their own balance as well.