• Question: was there a point in you're career that you felt like giving up and if so, how did you overcome it?

    Asked by anon-361565 on 28 Mar 2023.
    • Photo: Hannah Fawcett

      Hannah Fawcett answered on 28 Mar 2023:

      I haven’t felt like giving up but I definitely have had challenging times. I think that the pandemic was very difficult for most professions and most people. I work with a lovely team doing something that I enjoy, that makes a real difference to others. Taking a step back and reminding myself of the most enjoyable aspects of my job definitely helps. I think a good long walk is great at clearing your head as is a good dance round the kitchen to loud music!

    • Photo: Birsu Kandemirci

      Birsu Kandemirci answered on 28 Mar 2023:

      I had a period where I was finishing up my PhD and also working full-time as a researcher. I was also commuting to a different city which meant that I wasn’t getting enough rest at all and didn’t have much social life as a result of always being busy. It was one of the most stressful periods of my career, but I don’t think I felt like giving up. It was a case of reminding myself that it was just a period and if I persevered through, things would get better. I also was extremely lucky to have support from my partner, my family and friends which certainly helped me survive that period. I hope this doesn’t sound scary, it was a couple of months and I think it didn’t help that it was a particularly rainy and cold year so that definitely impacts my mood too 🙂

    • Photo: Emily McDougal

      Emily McDougal answered on 29 Mar 2023:

      I’m always questioning whether my career is going in the direction that I want it to. I wouldn’t describe it as giving up, but I think it’s important to reflect on the path you’re on. We all change through life, our priorities and goals shift, so that reflection has helped to guide me.

    • Photo: Laura Joyner

      Laura Joyner answered on 31 Mar 2023:

      About a month ago! But in all honesty, I did leave a career before and this was very different. I’m in the last stretch of my PhD and was finding it really difficult to connect all the ideas and thoughts from the past 3 years. For me this has been the hardest part so far. What really helped was talking to others who had done a PhD, and hearing that they also found this bit tough. I then just started doing a bit every day, even if I didn’t think it was any good, and that helped me get some words on a page (so I was no longer staring at a blank screen!).

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