Navigating the Administrative Burden of Academia: Tactics for PIs Who Are Drowning in Admin Tasks

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One of the surprising realities for PIs is the sheer amount of administrative work involved in the role. Many stay in academia for the potential to pursue their research interests, yet end up finding their days filled with emails, meetings, paperwork, and countless other administrative tasks. One of my clients recently referred to the job as “47 rats in a … Read More

“So What?”: The Simple Question That Instantly Elevates Your Grant Proposals (and More)

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Imagine this: You spent months meticulously crafting your grant application. The research problem is well-defined, and the methodology is solid. However, when the reviewers sit down to assess your proposal, they find themselves asking, “So what?” Oof.  Over my last 15 years consulting on grant applications, I can tell you that “so what?” is the most common comment I leave … Read More

Getting into a Flow for the New Academic Year: Tips and Strategies for Research Faculty

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The summer break is a valuable time for research faculty to pursue scholarly interests, collaborate with peers, and engage in professional development. And the contrast with the start of the fall semester can feel like getting pushed straight into the deep end. You may face a pile of administrative tasks, teaching responsibilities, and service commitments. We know some even feel … Read More

Setting Boundaries for Effective Rest and Recovery

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Ok, we need to talk about rest. In a recent conversation, an amazing, brilliant, hard-working academic researcher lamented to me that their time off over a long holiday weekend didn’t restore them as hoped. As we chatted through why that might be, several things came to light: 1) They still checked email and other notifications over this “time off”—just like … Read More