Day 2
Today is another day in the office. On office days I’m usually busy with meetings, teaching, emails and administration. I try and keep a couple of days clear a week for more thoughtful work, and try and work from home, but it’s not always possible.
0800: I’m in the office bright and early, and, after securing a morning coffee, focus on reading a PhD thesis that I am examining soon.
1000 – 1100: I have an online meeting with a colleague about some teaching that we’re delivering together. We finish with a clear plan.
1100 – 1130: I have a pre-arranged coffee with a colleague to discuss research.
1130 – 1300: Back to my office and my PC to read and respond to emails. I eat my packed lunch at my desk.
1300 – 1430: A meeting with my head of department in my capacity as research director. We discuss strategy and future plans.
1430 – 1800: I work in my office, leaving to forage once for a coffee, reading and replying to emails and reading the PhD thesis.
1800: Off to the gym. Exercise is important to me and a key part of my work-life balance.
Today was a fairly typical office-day, with some meetings with colleagues, discussion of strategy, lots of emails, and lots of reading and evaluating of other people’s work. This is something that has become a lot more significant in my workload as I have progressed in my career.
Would you like to contribute to the Academic Diary series? Are you at a different career stage, and do your days look very different? Get in touch.