After ecologist Meghan Duffy’s post on the popular blog Dynamic Ecology titled, “You do not need to work 80 hours a week to succeed in academia,” quickly became one of the site’s most popular pieces, Nature further explored how some scientists are maintaining a better work-life balance. The article, “Workplace habits: Full-time is full enough,” examines how much time academic scientists around the world spend at work and presents various perspectives on achieving and maintaining a work-life balance.
In a similar Nature article, author Kendall Powell discusses the particular challenges faced by early-career researchers, often the parents of young children, who must balance the responsibilities of the laboratory and of the home. The article, “Work-life balance: Lab life with kids,” features first-hand accounts of scientists’ experiences and strategies for raising a family while embarking on a scientific career.