Work-Life Balance Readings
For faculty at any stage, but particularly at the beginning of their careers, it is difficult to balance the responsibilities of a personal life, research, teaching, and service commitments. Setting boundaries, managing time, etc. are learnable skills. The readings compiled here offer some advice on how to manage the delicate work-life balance, by illustrating:
- How to say “yes” and “no” to commitments strategically
- How to delegate tasks and work collaboratively
- How to manage and maintain a healthy lifestyle
- How to enjoy your job and your life
Publications from different educational institutions that might be helpful to you at Swarthmore:
- “Finding your own Work-Life Balance” – this entry from Drexel University stresses that there is no silver bullet, what works for one may not work for another and to find what works for you
- “The Superwoman Fallacy: What it really takes to be an academic and a parent” – from The Guardian
- The CSWA has compiled resources on the problems faced and solved by two-career couples in astronomy and other fields of science
- "Managing Your Work, Managing Your Life" [pdf] - from the Harvard Business Review
- "The Six Steps To Delegation" [pdf] - from Enriching Leadership International
- "How To Learn To Say No" - from Time
- "Delegating Responsibility" [pdf] - from the University of Oregon
- "Balancing Your Career & Personal Life" [pdf] - from NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholars
- "How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Tenure Track Faculty Life" [pdf] - from Scientific American
