Your physical and mental health are crucial to your well being as a person. These should always take priority over your studies and work. A satisfying and respectful work environment is an important factor in your mental health. Science can be an emotional roller coaster. Exams, paper reviews, fellowship applications, and job searches all involve being judged, which often causes anxiety. There are no right answers either, which can often make the struggle harder but all the more satisfying when you figure out how to tackle a problem.
There is growing awareness in academia that graduate students and postdocs are at high risk for depression and anxiety. If you feel you are facing mental health challenges, don't be ashamed--you're not alone! And learning to ask for help with managing your mental health is just as important as asking for help with your research.
With this in mind, our group strives to do everything possible to support students and ensure a healthy work-life balance. The vacation and workload expectations defined above are a big part of this. Don't overwork! Some other tips, based on experience, are the following:
- Maintain a healthy sleep schedule.
- Pursue interests and hobbies outside of your work. These help relieve stress. They also benefit your research! Stepping away from your problem and letting your mind wander elsewhere is, counterintuitively, a great way to stimulate creative thought.
- Develop a support network among your peers. They understand the struggle! Just remember that every successful researcher in our field works hard, even if they don’t immediately admit it! But balance is extremely important if you want to make a career from all this work.
- If you feel like you need additional help, please contact Columbia Counseling and Psychological Services.