Rethinking work-life balance: A researcher's guide to designing a sustainable academic life

Last Friday, I dropped the ball in spectacular fashion. Overwhelmed by multiple projects and commitments, I missed an important email from my son's school about a day trip. By the time I realised my mistake, it was too late - all his classmates were going on this exciting adventure, but he wasn't.

The guilt was immediate and crushing.

This experience made me think deeply about work-life balance, particularly for those of us driven to create an impact while desperately wanting to maintain all other domains of our lives. The question isn't whether we'll drop balls - it's how we respond when we do, and how we build better systems to protect what matters most. It is about being intentional about our “work-life balance”.

The traditional notion of "work-life balance" has become something of a mythical creature in academia; everyone talks about it, but few seem to have actually spotted it (i.e., conquered it) in the wild. As someone who has spent over two decades in health and care research, supervising numerous PhD students and postdocs, I've witnessed firsthand how the pursuit of this elusive balance can become a source of stress rather than relief.

The point is that the conventional 50/50 work-life balance model is unrealistic for researchers and, in fact, fundamentally flawed. Instead of chasing this impossible ideal, what if we completely reframed our approach to living well as academics?

Why the traditional work-life balance model fails researchers

The phrase "work-life balance" itself is problematic. It suggests that work sits on one side of a scale, with "life" on the other, as if your research isn't part of your life, or as if achieving fulfilment requires constantly battling between these two opposing forces.

For researchers, this binary thinking is particularly damaging. Your PhD research, postdoc project, or academic career isn't just a job, it's often a calling, a source of intellectual stimulation, and a pathway to making meaningful contributions to knowledge. When we frame it as something to be balanced against "real life," we miss the profound satisfaction and purpose that academic work can provide.

In addition, Jayasingam et al. (2021) argue that the conventional idea of "life" in work-life balance is too narrow, often limited to family responsibilities. They advocate for understanding "life" as encompassing unique personal aspects that vary among individuals, a holistic concept that depends on each person's values, priorities, and goals.

Introducing the Life Domains Design approach

Rather than pursuing a work-life balance, I propose we adopt what I call "Life Domains Design", a more dynamic and personalised approach to living well as a researcher.

Think of your life as a wheel with multiple spokes, each representing a different domain:

• Career
• Money
• Health
• Relationships
• Personal growth
• Fun and recreation
• Physical environment
• Spirituality

The crucial insight is that research is just one component of this wheel. It's not "work versus life" but rather "research within life."

Why this reframe matters for PhD students and researchers

Understanding why the Life Domains Design approach is particularly relevant for researchers will help you embrace this shift in thinking:

Fluidity over fixity

Your needs, priorities, and capacities will constantly change throughout your research journey. A "balanced" week in your first year might look very different from a "balanced" week during your final thesis write-up or when a personal emergency arises. Life Domains Design acknowledges and embraces this fluidity, allowing you to adapt your approach as circumstances change.

Personal definition

What constitutes a "comfortable" distribution across your life's pillars is unique to you. It's not a universal 50/50 split. It's about how you feel when you lie in bed at night, comfortable with how you've distributed your energy and priorities across all the parts of your life that matter. This personal definition is liberating because it means you can stop comparing your life to others and start designing one that truly fits you.

Work can be a source of joy and purpose

Your PhD or research isn't just a means to an end; it can be a profound source of satisfaction, intellectual stimulation, and purpose. When we frame it as just "work" versus "life," we often miss the inherent joy and meaning it can bring. Recognising research as a potentially fulfilling part of your life domains helps you appreciate its positive contributions rather than seeing it as something to be balanced against.

Intentionality is key

To truly "design" your life, you need to be intentional. This means regularly reflecting on where your energy is going, assessing the state of each domain on your Wheel of Life, and consciously deciding where you need to shift your focus. It's an ongoing process of tuning and adjusting, much like the iterative nature of research itself.

The evidence for a holistic approach

Multiple studies support this more integrated approach to wellbeing in academia. Kusurkar et al. (2021) found that PhD students who experienced high levels of burnout showed the lowest motivation, engagement, and satisfaction of their basic psychological needs. Crucially, these students also reported the poorest work-life balance, with lack of sleep and frustration of needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness being the most significant contributing factors.

This research highlights a vital point: burnout isn't just about working too many hours, but rather about feeling disconnected from one's basic human needs across all areas of life.

Similarly, Sprung and Rogers (2021) demonstrated that work-life balance is directly linked to students' mental health, with perceived stress completely mediating the relationship between work-life balance and both anxiety and depressive symptoms. The message is clear: how well you manage the various domains of your life directly impacts your psychological wellbeing and, consequently, your research performance.

The reality of remote research and modern academic life

The COVID-19 pandemic has added another layer of complexity to academic life. Shirmohammadi et al. (2022) analysed 40 studies on work-life balance during remote work and found significant "misfits" between expectations and reality. The promise of flexible working often led to work intensification, with researchers feeling pressure to be "always online" and experiencing longer working hours rather than improved balance.

For many academic researchers, the boundaries between work and personal life have become increasingly blurred. Your home office might be your kitchen table, your research thoughts don't switch off at 5 pm, and brilliant ideas can strike at any hour. This reality requires a more sophisticated approach than traditional time-blocking strategies.

Practical strategies for Life Domains Design

Strategy 1: Complete your wheel of life assessment

Before diving into specific strategies, it's essential to understand your current standing across all your life domains. The Wheel of Life is a powerful visual tool that helps you explore where you are in your life right now and where you would like to be in the future.

How to complete your wheel of life:

• Visit a free online assessment tool (such as wheeloflife.io) or create your own wheel.
• Rate each domain of your life on a scale of 1-10 based on your current satisfaction.
• Common domains include: career/work, finances, health, family, relationships, personal growth, fun/recreation, and physical environment.
• Connect the dots to create a wheel shape. This visual representation shows you immediately which areas need attention.

What your wheel reveals:

• A perfectly round wheel indicates good balance across all domains.
• A bumpy or lopsided wheel shows areas that need attention.
• Very low scores (1-3) indicate domains requiring immediate focus.
• High scores (8-10) represent your current strengths and sources of satisfaction.

For researchers specifically, consider adding academic-specific domains such as research progress, supervisor relationship, academic networking, and work-life integration. This provides a more nuanced perspective on your academic life, extending beyond just "career."

The beauty of the Wheel of Life is that it provides a snapshot of your current state while helping you identify specific areas for improvement. Return to this assessment every 3-6 months to track your progress and adjust your focus as your circumstances change.

Strategy 2: The energy audit approach

Instead of trying to balance time, focus on balancing energy across your life domains. Different activities energise or drain you, and this varies from person to person.

Action steps:

• For one week, track how different activities make you feel (energised, neutral, drained).
• Identify which research activities give you energy (perhaps data analysis excites you, but literature reviews drain you).
• Schedule energy-giving activities when you're naturally low, and tackle energy-draining tasks when you're at your peak.
• Ensure you have energy-giving activities in multiple life domains, not just research.

This blog post titled “Energy management: The secret weapon in academic productivity” will give you more detailed guidance.

Strategy 3: The seasonal approach to academic life

Academic calendars naturally have seasons: conference deadlines, teaching periods, summer research intensives. Rather than fighting this rhythm, design your life domains to flex with these seasons.

Action steps:

• Map out your academic year's demands and identify high-intensity periods.
• During intense research phases, maintain minimum viable habits in other domains (perhaps 30-minute walks instead of hour-long gym sessions).
• Use quieter periods to invest more heavily in neglected domains (relationships, personal projects).
• Communicate these seasons to your support network so they understand when you'll be less available.

Being intentional about it will permit you to “responsibly” allocate less time, energy and headspace to some priorities than to others.

Strategy 4: The integration technique

Look for ways to integrate multiple life domains rather than compartmentalising them.

Examples:

• Walk-and-talk meetings with colleagues to combine movement with work
• Join a sports club at your university to combine fitness with social connections
• Attend conferences in cities where you have friends or family
• Volunteer in areas related to your research to combine community engagement with professional development

Building your support ecosystem

One of the most crucial findings from the research is the importance of support systems. As Seals and DeSouza (2024) note, mentors play a crucial role in helping students align their career ambitions with their personal values regarding work-life balance.

Building your support network:

• Professional mentors: Seek out supervisors and senior researchers who model healthy approaches to academic life.
• Peer support: Connect with other researchers who understand the unique challenges of academic life.
• Personal support: Maintain relationships with people outside academia who can provide perspective and emotional support.
• Professional help: Don't hesitate to use university counselling services or seek therapy when needed

The responsibility question: Whose job is work-life balance?

While the primary responsibility for designing your life lies with you, this doesn't mean you're entirely on your own. The research by Kusurkar et al. (2021) emphasises that supervisors should engage in open discussions about work-life balance, help students manage their schedules, and create environments where students feel autonomous and connected. Your supervisor may have good intentions, yet doesn't see this as part of their role. Don't have any hidden expectations and feel free to initiate discussions related to work-life balance with your supervisor.

Your responsibilities

• Self-awareness about your needs and limits
• Setting and maintaining boundaries
• Communicating your needs clearly
• Actively seeking support when needed
• Regularly reassessing and adjusting your life design

What institutions can provide

• Realistic expectations about workload
• Flexible working arrangements
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Training for supervisors on supporting student wellbeing
• A culture that values sustainable academic practices

Common challenges and solutions

Challenge: Feeling guilty about taking time for non-research activities

Solution: Reframe rest and other activities as essential components of your research productivity. A well-rested, socially connected researcher produces better work than a burned-out one.

Challenge: Difficulty switching off from research thoughts

Solution: Create transition rituals between research and other activities. This might be a short walk, changing clothes, or a brief meditation. Physical movement can be particularly effective for shifting mental gears.

Challenge: Imposter syndrome affecting multiple life domains

Solution: Recognise that imposter syndrome often stems from overidentifying with your academic work. Developing a strong sense of self across multiple domains can provide resilience when research challenges arise.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How do I maintain work-life balance during intense periods like thesis writing?

A: During high-intensity periods, aim for "minimum viable habits" in other domains rather than abandoning them entirely. A 30-minute walk is better than no exercise; a brief call with a friend is better than total isolation.

Q: What if my supervisor expects me to be available 24/7?

A: This is a boundary issue that requires careful navigation. Start by having an honest conversation about expectations and propose a communication schedule that works for both of you. If problems persist, seek guidance from your department or graduate school.

Q: Is it normal to feel like I'm constantly behind in all areas of life?

A: Absolutely. The feeling of being "behind" is often a sign that you're trying to optimise all domains simultaneously. Focus on one or two domains at a time, and remember that life design is an ongoing process, not a destination.

Q: How do I know if I'm experiencing burnout versus just normal research stress?

A: Burnout typically involves emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment that persists even during typically enjoyable activities. If you're concerned, speak with a mental health professional – it is worth exploring early on, so don’t wait.

Your personalised life domains design

To implement this approach, start by creating your own Life Domains Wheel:

1. Draw a circle and divide it into 6-8 sections representing your key life domains
2. Rate each domain on a scale of 1-10 for current satisfaction
3. Identify which domains need attention (typically those rated 5 or below)
4. Choose one small action you can take this week to improve your lowest-rated domain
5. Review and adjust monthly rather than daily, this is a long-term design process

The bottom line

Your research career is a marathon, not a sprint. The traditional work-life balance model sets you up for a constant struggle between competing priorities. Life Domains Design offers a more sustainable, personalised approach that recognises the complexity and richness of academic life.

You're not just a researcher, you're a whole person with multiple facets, needs, and sources of fulfilment. By intentionally designing a life that honours all these aspects, you'll not only be happier and healthier but also more creative, productive, and resilient in your research.

The goal is conscious design rather than perfect balance. Start small, be patient with yourself, and remember that excellent academic work can come from researchers who are living full, integrated lives.

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Looking for some extra support on your PhD research journey? Check out the Research Masterminds Success Academy - an online hub where you can develop skills, stay motivated, and still have time to enjoy life beyond your research!

Check it out!

Thank you for the cover photo Kaboompics.com.

This blog post was created through a collaborative process. I provided the initial ideas, draft content and related research, and AI (Claude.ai) assisted in restructuring and refining the material. Final edits and insights are entirely my own.