Work Life Balance in Graduate School
By Luke Wink-Moran
Photo by Pixel-Shot
Deadlines, classes, and work all sometimes feel a higher priority than resting or spending time with friends and family. But according to UArizona experts, unbalanced priorities can be harmful to your health and compromise your professional success.
“Time away from work is incredibly important,” says Dr. David Sbarra, a professor in the Department of Psychology where he directs the Laboratory for Social Connectedness and Health. “People misunderstand this key point all of the time and just try to take on more and more work.”
According to Dr. Sbarra, students who take on too much work risk placing themselves in a state of chronic stress, which can lead to sleep disruptions and create “a psychological environment in our body that makes us more susceptible to disease.” Dr. Sbarra explained that sleep disruptions can also lead to an increased risk of adverse events like car accidents and chronic illness.
Graduate students should be aware of the risks of chronic stress because, according to Dr. Leslie Ralph, a psychologist who works in the University of Arizona’s CAPS department, “Research on graduate students does show that they experience a much higher level of distress than the general population. Studies on graduate and professional students also shows that quality of life and general well-being are significant protective factors in their success. In other words, having a low quality of life and general well-being can put students at risk for failing.”
So the case for finding work-life balance becomes clear: a well-balanced life benefits not only students’ mental health, but their performance in school.
When asked why some graduate students might have a hard time finding a work-life balance, and what she might like to say to them, Dr. Ralph said, “Many times, grad students have high (or even unrealistic) expectations for themselves, might feel like an “imposter,” or be afraid of disappointing others. It can sometimes feel like it isn’t safe to feel good, and it can be hard to remember that well-being involves so much more than academic success.”
For those students who want to take strides towards a healthier work-life balance, Dr. Sbarra shared this advice: “Setting and maintaining good boundaries are important to establishing work-life balance. I work best when I do not work too much. There’s irony in this statement: To work better, work smarter hours, not necessarily longer hours. For me, smarter hours means being well-rested.”
For more specific strategies that students, faculty, and staff can use to maintain a healthy work-life balance, Lourdes A. Rodríguez, Manager of Childcare and Family Resources at Life & Work Connections, offers the following suggestions:
Self-care: Everything starts with recognizing the importance of caring for yourself. If you do not take the time and needed steps to stay physically and mentally healthy, you won’t be able to achieve your goals.
Reasonable expectations: Thoroughly assess what you can and cannot do. Nobody is perfect; therefore, do not aim for perfection, but for “good enough.” This means you need to learn to say “no” sometimes.
Planning: Good time management enables us to work smarter, not harder.
Adaptability: No matter how much we plan, the unexpected can happen; therefore, it is important to accept changes and adapt as needed.
Boundaries: Establish clear guidelines for suitable behaviors and responsibilities. Often, expectations are implied or assumed. It’s helpful to be explicit about boundaries in order to benefit fully from the safeguards they allow.
Communication: This includes not only speaking, but active listening. Developing good communication skills helps us to clearly share our opinions, desires, and needs.
For more information, check out the CAPS graduate student groups and self-help resources in the following links:
Self-Care Tips for Grad Students: https://caps.arizona.edu/self-care-tips-grad-students
Pathways to Wellness Personal Wellness Plan: https://caps.arizona.edu/pathwaystowellness
CAPS groups overview: https://caps.arizona.edu/groups-overview
A List of Resources for Graduate Students with Children https://grad.arizona.edu/diversityprograms/sites/default/files/uagc_page/final_students_who_are_parents_resources.pdf