how not to stagnate post-PhD with young kids and a pandemic

[openwaterswimming]

Advice would be appreciated.
PhD finished last year (social sciences, broadly). I've been lecturing casually for 3 different universities for a year, only one of which is within commuting distance, other 2 online. Struggling to get papers out to journals, nothing published yet. I have two small kids/toddlers and since the pandemic I've been home alone with them with no childcare or family members to help out (husband a key worker working long hours). So I only barely get my teaching done, no time to research, apply for jobs or grants, no time to present at online conferences (even though there aren't even many going ahead). The casual lecturing is fine - no job security, no progression and I'm very much an outsider but its basically all I could manage in the present circumstances and the money is handy.

That being said, if any of the universities that I now casually lecture for decide to hire someone more permanently, I would like to be in the running. I would have to sort out childcare somehow if that happened. However I feel I am in competition with younger, childless people and men (most of my colleagues are men) for whom the presence of children doesn't seem to act as an impediment to their careers. They seem to be constantly churning out papers over the Covid period while I'm flapping to stay afloat.

Can anyone offer any advice? How long would you say I can drift along doing casual teaching? Or in this environment should I count my blessings that I even have that? Or is anyone out there in a similar boat? Thanks in advance

Hi,

it is a tricky situation to be in, when there are no spare hours in the day to do the papers etc that can advance your career.

Do any of the universities that you work for have a mentoring scheme? signing up to meet with an academic mentor might help you focus on long term goals. Think about where you want to be in 5 years time when the pandemic is over and your kids are in school - what would your ideal job be and how do you get there?

can you set aside a couple of hours per week to work on one big project (e.g. a paper). pick the one that is nearest completion and focus on getting that one thing out. It doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough. Because in the end, universities hiring for lectureships are going to want to see papers.

Or if that isn't feasible, an alternative might be to take 2 or 3 years out of academia altogether and then apply for a career re-entry grant to get back (e.g. Daphne Jackson grant). that may be easier in science than soc science, but they do exist and I have seen it work out well for people.

Thanks @parietal. I get the impression from pretty much everyone that they're too busy to deal with me or answer questions. There are no mentoring schemes for casual/hourly paid lecturers that I've ever been made aware of. I did find out in one institution I was working for that I was to be assigned a mentor but when I contacted them they had no idea who I was or what was supposed to happen! It all seems so disorganised and I never know if its because I'm an outsider or because thats how universities are. Its a very weird organisational culture. I've worked for large corporations and other public sector departments and I've never come across a set-up quite so alienating. At the same time I love the work, love teaching and its flexible so I'm glad I did the PhD. I just wish it was all a bit more straightforward and maybe...dare I say it...less snobbish/competitive (maybe that's just my perception but feels that way sometimes). Thanks again.

I meant to reply to this ages ago, but just to say that in some ways your dilemma is nothing to do with the pandemic in that these problems are always present post-PhD and in other ways its everything to do with it, as things like getting journal articles reviewed and published is so much harder and slower at the moment, I'm finding anyway. I don't have any major insight other than publish, I know that's easy to say and that teaching is absorbing everything right now, but it's as simple as you won't be considered for permanent jobs if you don't. It's not optional to publish, whereas in my field, a grant would be great, but if they needed a certain speciality and that person didn't have a grant that might be ok, but without a good publication record, there's no chance. Sorry I don't have better advice, this really is a hard time especially for early career people.

Can you leave academia? I don't know much about career options in your field but I did a PhD and then two postdocs in academia. The PhD was great but the two postdocs were professionally the biggest waste of time in my career.
Academia is in a terrible state in the UK. Many people I spoke to, including those in teaching positions, agree. I left it and have never regretted it. You may not realise it yet, but do some research and consider which jobs you could apply to outside academia. I am sure there are opportunities for you there.

@poppingnotstopping thanks, I also meant to reply to this weeks ago. I agree, my chances are slim without publications but zero time to work on them.
@sickandtired23 thank you. Funnily enough I just started applying for non-academic jobs last week. I really enjoy lecturing (I'm on a casual contract) and its the first job I've had that doesn't seem like work at all. I enjoy my research (if I ever got time to do it) and it is certainly with some regret that I would opt to move away from this sector. However, semi secure roles in academia in my field within travelling distance from where I live will be like the Holy Grail for the next couple of years I imagine. So its a case of take what I can get I think, at least until/if this Covid thing blows over. Even then, I get the impression that the sector is not in a good state...

I've reread your OP and I think without childcare, you wouldn't be able to write. If you went for a non-academic job, would you get childcare then? If that's the case, because otherwise salaries are too low, then perhaps non-academic is the way to go. Ultimately you need to carve out writing time if you stay- whether that be dad takes the kids out of the house on Sat for 5 hours (that's what my husband did to help me finish my PhD, also for a book), or you pay someone, I don't think you can sit down after a day of Zoom teaching and doing your own childcare and start to write. If that looks undoable, I'd probably jump ship sooner rather than later. There are lots of great suggestions on how to write (pomodoros, I've found some good books) but without a couple of good productive hours when you are at your best, regularly, this isn't going to happen.

I don't mean this in a critical way at all, by the way, it's really a structural issue here where you are doing the bulk of the childcare and either need to do that or have a good enough wage for childcare. It really sucks. That's why I think your husband has to step up and share childcare costs or do some childcare. That's the thing that's preventing you doing any writing at all (remember it at home with the little ones so well, it was awful)!

if you really wanted to keep doing research you could maybe find a governmental organisation to work for? From quick googling I found this one you most likely know about already, but maybe there are other similar organisations? Or not-for-profit?

www.faststream.gov.uk/government-social-research-service/index.html

@poppingnotstopping, thank you, and I don't take it as criticism at all. You are right: if I got a non-academic job it would be at least semi-secure and full-time therefore we could afford childcare. I'm not in the UK and where I am it is hard to find part-time/flexible/affordable childcare, particularly at the moment. As it is, with casual academic work we can manage without it, saving a fortune but leaving me with zero available time to write/research. Husband is doing all he can in terms of taking the kids at weekends/when he's off work but that time is taken up with teaching prep. I know some people stay up all night or to 3am or whatever after kids have gone to bed but I'm not one of those I'm afraid. But yes I think I need to carve out some quality time for writing...I really want to do it...it's just hard to prioritise it. Thanks again.

@sickandtired23 thank you, that's very thoughtful. I'm not in the UK but I am indeed looking out for non-profit/research jobs. I just wonder if I branch too far away from my area of research/interest will it make it even more difficult to return to academia should the opportunity ever arise. Anyway...I think during these times I would be wise to take whatever I can get.