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Thank you for this refreshing viewpoint. For many scientists, their science is a marathon, not a sprint. Preventing burnout is as important as burning brightly. Something not mentioned in the articles in this issue is lab safety. The risk of a serious incident in the lab increases when lab members are exhausted and not thinking clearly about what they are doing. In the other article in this issue about the "workaholic lab" at Johns Hopkins, I find it deplorable that the PI routinely has discussions with his lab members at 6 AM while he is commuting to work. If he is driving, this is demonstrably unsafe behavior and he is risking his safety as well as that of other drivers unfortunate enough to share the road with him.
Radoslav Bozov
Interesting and up to point. For others science is a triathlon – plan by thinking, discussing, tackling a problem, dreaming about possibilities and engaging multi emerging idea "vectors", followed by computing what reality is, and how it may operate under specific objections and executing via independent confirmation of a refined paradigm edging towards breaking off what we call interactive dimensions in order to reason how mechanism and processes occur. Rested mind always overthrows exhausted vision.
Deepak Modi
24 × 7 by the lab is definitely not doing science but we still do science at the walk at the gym or even at a party. I text my students or quickly pen down my thoughts wherever i get them. But not everyone can do that and these guys need long hrs in the lab. Julie Overbaugh herein agrees that she does science while jogging or on an holiday too. Its all about balancing and everyone has a unique way of balancing his/her personal and work life. Yes either one of them has to suffer at one point or other. We should not be cribbing about it as this is the path we have chosen.
iñigo romon
Thank you for your thoughts. Ethics is about doing the right thing. Working very much is not a good thing in itself, even if you do it for a good cause. Working 24/7/365 is an inhuman work rate, and should be forbidden for the mental health and physical well being of those who are in research. First, we are people, and then we are scientists. Without a life outside the lab or the hospital, how can you claim to be alive? I mean, how can you develp significative, fulfilling, personal relationships? How can you do that jobs if either you are not a freak with no family, no friends, no girlfriend, no children? If you have children, who will take care of them out of school hours? your wife? What if you have a sick child, or wife or parents? I´n a doctor and want to give good healthcare, that is difficult enough for me, and takes many hours out of actual contact with patients. Does it mean that I'm not good because I have a walk with my son of Saturday afternoons to see how he improves on his skateboard? Come on....
Dr Matiram Pun
Dear Julie Overbaugh,
Thank you for this wonderful commentary about balancing normal life with scientific work (1) i.e professional life. It is indeed a paramount importance to lead a normal and balanced life for the productivity, accuracy and yielding a high quality research. The stressed mind and immense pressure can lead multiple errors and eroneous outcome which could be a huge backlash in the career. However, it has often been overlooked in intensely competitive scientific world as author highlighted about deadline of big grants, novel ideas and high impact factor journal papers.
As a trainee from one of the best and unique labs in the world (2), I have come to know how much effort it takes for a novel scientific discovery. Personally, I have enjoyed working in the lab, setting it up and testing the subjects. This is ever interesting and challenging task we would do. However, it can be equally frustrating and debilitating when systems go other way round, data gets screwed and something happens to the subjects. The constant encouragement from the Professor, help from the colleagues and good environment always helps to think clearly and to keep ball rolling.
I would have liked to read Dr Overbaugh's thoughts on 'scooping the ideas'. While attedning a conference and talking to many other trainees (including researchers) during tea/coffee/drinks/TGIF breaks, I came to know that scientific community is deeply concerned (almost run the constant fear of) being scooped of their scientific ideas or running experiments. I believe it is true to some extent in some cases but it seems little over exaggerated to me. This is another factor why people are so much pressed and work long hours to bring out results sooner.
In 2007, I remember Dr Denny Levett talking about initial thoughts about Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition (3) coming while they were drinking in pubs. This happens to be the biggest and technologically most advanced altitude research expedition (4) and some of its results have been published high impact journals (5). The team worked with great fun, enthusiasm and relaxed mind as I personnally happen to observe. This is just to corroborate Dr Overbaugh's thoughts.
Thank you, Matiram Pun Graduate student, The Laboratory of Human Cerebrovascular Physiology (Prof Dr Marc J Poulin), University of Calgary
References:
1. Overbaugh J. 24/7 isn't the only way: A healthy work?life balance can enhance research. Nature. 2011 Aug 31;477(7362):27-8. doi: 10.1038/477027a.
4. Grocott MP, Martin DS, Wilson MH, Mitchell K, Dhillon S, Mythen MG, Montgomery HE, Levett DZ; Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group. Caudwell xtreme Everest expedition. High Alt Med Biol. 2010 Summer;11(2):133-7.
5. Grocott MPW, Martin DS, Levett DZH, McMorrow R, Windsor J, Montgomery HE. Arterial blood gases and oxygen content in climbers on Mount Everest. N Engl J Med 2009;360:140-149
Chris Simms
It's nice to see that there are options available for people who want to have a more balanced life. Too many young scientists seem to feel that they have to work excessive hours, just because everyone else does.
Alex Tobias
Thank you for this refreshing viewpoint. For many scientists, their science is a marathon, not a sprint. Preventing burnout is as important as burning brightly. Something not mentioned in the articles in this issue is lab safety. The risk of a serious incident in the lab increases when lab members are exhausted and not thinking clearly about what they are doing. In the other article in this issue about the "workaholic lab" at Johns Hopkins, I find it deplorable that the PI routinely has discussions with his lab members at 6 AM while he is commuting to work. If he is driving, this is demonstrably unsafe behavior and he is risking his safety as well as that of other drivers unfortunate enough to share the road with him.
Radoslav Bozov
Interesting and up to point. For others science is a triathlon – plan by thinking, discussing, tackling a problem, dreaming about possibilities and engaging multi emerging idea "vectors", followed by computing what reality is, and how it may operate under specific objections and executing via independent confirmation of a refined paradigm edging towards breaking off what we call interactive dimensions in order to reason how mechanism and processes occur. Rested mind always overthrows exhausted vision.
Deepak Modi
24 × 7 by the lab is definitely not doing science but we still do science at the walk at the gym or even at a party. I text my students or quickly pen down my thoughts wherever i get them. But not everyone can do that and these guys need long hrs in the lab. Julie Overbaugh herein agrees that she does science while jogging or on an holiday too.
Its all about balancing and everyone has a unique way of balancing his/her personal and work life. Yes either one of them has to suffer at one point or other. We should not be cribbing about it as this is the path we have chosen.
iñigo romon
Thank you for your thoughts.
Ethics is about doing the right thing. Working very much is not a good thing in itself, even if you do it for a good cause.
Working 24/7/365 is an inhuman work rate, and should be forbidden for the mental health and physical well being of those who are in research. First, we are people, and then we are scientists. Without a life outside the lab or the hospital, how can you claim to be alive?
I mean, how can you develp significative, fulfilling, personal relationships? How can you do that jobs if either you are not a freak with no family, no friends, no girlfriend, no children? If you have children, who will take care of them out of school hours? your wife? What if you have a sick child, or wife or parents?
I´n a doctor and want to give good healthcare, that is difficult enough for me, and takes many hours out of actual contact with patients. Does it mean that I'm not good because I have a walk with my son of Saturday afternoons to see how he improves on his skateboard? Come on....
Dr Matiram Pun
Dear Julie Overbaugh,
Thank you for this wonderful commentary about balancing normal life with scientific work (1) i.e professional life. It is indeed a paramount importance to lead a normal and balanced life for the productivity, accuracy and yielding a high quality research. The stressed mind and immense pressure can lead multiple errors and eroneous outcome which could be a huge backlash in the career. However, it has often been overlooked in intensely competitive scientific world as author highlighted about deadline of big grants, novel ideas and high impact factor journal papers.
As a trainee from one of the best and unique labs in the world (2), I have come to know how much effort it takes for a novel scientific discovery. Personally, I have enjoyed working in the lab, setting it up and testing the subjects. This is ever interesting and challenging task we would do. However, it can be equally frustrating and debilitating when systems go other way round, data gets screwed and something happens to the subjects. The constant encouragement from the Professor, help from the colleagues and good environment always helps to think clearly and to keep ball rolling.
I would have liked to read Dr Overbaugh's thoughts on 'scooping the ideas'. While attedning a conference and talking to many other trainees (including researchers) during tea/coffee/drinks/TGIF breaks, I came to know that scientific community is deeply concerned (almost run the constant fear of) being scooped of their scientific ideas or running experiments. I believe it is true to some extent in some cases but it seems little over exaggerated to me. This is another factor why people are so much pressed and work long hours to bring out results sooner.
In 2007, I remember Dr Denny Levett talking about initial thoughts about Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition (3) coming while they were drinking in pubs. This happens to be the biggest and technologically most advanced altitude research expedition (4) and some of its results have been published high impact journals (5). The team worked with great fun, enthusiasm and relaxed mind as I personnally happen to observe. This is just to corroborate Dr Overbaugh's thoughts.
Thank you,
Matiram Pun
Graduate student, The Laboratory of Human Cerebrovascular Physiology (Prof Dr Marc J Poulin), University of Calgary
References:
1. Overbaugh J. 24/7 isn't the only way: A healthy work?life balance can enhance research. Nature. 2011 Aug 31;477(7362):27-8. doi: 10.1038/477027a.
2. Poulin Lab. http://people.ucalgary.ca/~...
3. Caudwell Xtreme Everest Expedition. http://www.xtreme-everest.c...
4. Grocott MP, Martin DS, Wilson MH, Mitchell K, Dhillon S, Mythen MG, Montgomery HE, Levett DZ; Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group. Caudwell xtreme Everest expedition. High Alt Med Biol. 2010 Summer;11(2):133-7.
5. Grocott MPW, Martin DS, Levett DZH, McMorrow R, Windsor J, Montgomery HE. Arterial blood gases and oxygen content in climbers on Mount Everest. N Engl J Med 2009;360:140-149
Chris Simms
It's nice to see that there are options available for people who want to have a more balanced life. Too many young scientists seem to feel that they have to work excessive hours, just because everyone else does.
Mathew Pitu
Nice article ! Thanks for sharing ! MGD