to coast in my job or a bit ... maybe forever!

[BigBoris]

Just a bit of context, I'm an academic/university lecturer. I feel like I have busted a gut since I finished by Phd seven years ago. I've got somewhere. Well, I've got a job. But I haven't been promoted, ever. I am just scraping by, meeting the minimum requirements.

And I've been feeling terrible and inadequate about that for some time, in what is a very very competitive, egotistical, back-stabby world. And at the same time, I feel as though I have let my kids down by always working, not being there for them as they start school, not supporting their learning, being distracted, and generally being a bit rubbish. Classic working mum dilemma.

But now, I want to feel different. I can't give up work for lots of reasons not least money, but I think the demands that are made on me by work are just too much (this is a common complaint in academia!) I just want to be able to say to myself that it's OK just to coast, to be a bit mediocre basically. Do what I have to do, but no more. Say no to more things. Carve out time for the family and let the rest go.

Has anyone been there already? How has it worked for you?

[irregularegular]

I guess it also depends on how fussy you are about what exactly you work on.

[irregularegular]

Maybe it depends on your field lljkk but in DH's field getting funding for research projects is very hit and miss. It's difficult to guarantee a continuous stream of income. Not a problem for us as he is also self-employed, and I have a salary too, but not ideal if it is your only source of income.

[DrHarleenFrancesQuinzel]

Ive started coasting too. I was working towards an accountancy qualification. I know I have the ability to do ok for myself. Yes I will never be a super duper accountant with my own business or working for the top 5, but I do feel I could achieve the necessary qualifications to earn a decent wage.

However, I just CBA. I have 3 children between 10 and 3. Ive just started my current job in the last couple of months and its a lot better than the previous jobs I have had. I am seriously considering coasting myself. I know I could be relatively happy where I am now. The last 8 years Ive had no luck whatsoever with jobs.

My mental health is also a lot better too which in turn means less shouting at the DCs.

[lljkk]

I'm not expecting anyone to explain, it's just a side comment on the millionth MN thing I don't understand at all. I'm a contract RA & find it plenty stress free. I'm racing towards 50 & never in my life had a "permanent" job. Don't get the need for that at all. DH is self-employed so even less security, but he feels like he has ultimate security because he's doing only what he likes.

[ScottishProf]

Your children won't be young forever, but the benefits you'll gain from developing elite time-management and prioritisation skills will last forever.

Assuming you can put in the hours your employer says correspond to the job you have - if not, the advice to consider going part time is excellent - don't call it coasting to decide you can't donate any more hours. But do (a) be reliable - this is hard if you can't bail yourself out by working extra hours near deadlines, so you'll have to be extremely organised and good at saying No to things you really won't have time for (b) prioritise carefully, without letting all your urgent tasks push out the important ones, like research.

A thing that has helped me in academia is to notice that there's nothing magical about 24/7 that means if only you worked that you'd get everything done. There is literally no limit to the demands that can be placed on you as an academic so, regardless of whether you work 40 or 80 hours a week, you have to be able to cope with the fact that you're not doing everything someone expects. All you can expect is that you're working the hours you're paid for and spending them efficiently.

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I teach and research and have a life. I'm now feeling very pleased with myself.

[irregularegular]

It's hard to find permanent research only jobs though isn't it? That's the risk. My DH has had a continuous series of 2-5 year research projects pretty much by choice and he is over 50. It's worked well for him as he also has outside income from self-employment and more recently the appointments have been part time, but in general it is not an easy or stress free option. It does seem in general though that doing either the teaching or the research, but not both, is almost the only way to manage it if you want a life outside as well.

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I don't think it's about being unambitious. It is about having a good look at what conventional "career progression" entails and what you want out of your career at various point in time, and making sure you get it. It's highly ambitious.

[escondida]

Maybe what OP is really asking is "Is it ok to be unambitious"?
This is why I'm an RA* at a Uni, rather than a lecturer. I'm not bothered about career prospects, I'm a terrible teacher. The money isn't bad. And I get to do work that isn't too much for me. I know a lot of career RAs now, with zero interest in ever becoming lecturers.

*I hate the really horrible horrible word "post-doc" because it implies a job that isn't really anything by itself, a kind of 'time that must be served' position between other job titles that actually do matter. Argh.

[irregularegular]

I also worked part-time for three years until both children were at school (having worked full time while they were tiny). To be honest, it probably didn't make that much difference to how much I worked as some things were just impossible to reduce. I did a lot more working in the evenings and weekends than I do now. But it made my slacking official, meant I could say no to some things - and lengthened the tenure clock pro rata.

[spaceal]

Me too LordCopper. My relationship to work works for me. And I don't feel like I'm letting anyone down. My only concern is whether it'll sustain me long-term.

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I also work PT and while many think I'm a bit meh I'm very happy with my work and my outside-work life. :)

[RaskolnikovsGarret]

I was pushed into applying for a promotion by a well meaning but pushy boss. I was too much of a wimp to say no, and got the job, and all my concerns have been realised. It's more money, about £1200 extra net a month, but really really not worth it. I see my DDs less, and am permanently attached to my Blackberry, I didn't want this job and wish if had been strong enough to say no. I bitterly regret it and am formulating my escape plan.

Coasting sounds god, esp with a young family.

[applesareredandgreen]

Sorry OP if I suggested you may be letting your students down. I didn't understand what your job entailed. I suppose I have coasted in a way work wise since having DC in that I have reduced my hours and put work life balance before promotion but I do give 100% when I.m there.

I think your situation sounds as if there are several aspects requiring your 100% and that is not possible. So no U r NBU

[spaceal]

At the risk of outing myself. I'm a PT female professor. I would be extremely happy to talk informally, confidentially to a colleague about the sort of stuff you're talking about. I think you should approach her.

I'm pretty sure I'm not your PT female professor, btw!

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I think you should go and talk to her if she's friendly - just say what you think the pressures are and how she manages to cope with part-time work. Also do you get publications with your PhD students? Sometimes we have opportunity to give little projects to PhD students which do end up with publications jointly. I think collaboration is the way to go but pick your collaborators carefully ... Easier said than done. It is hard to get research done when you don't get large blocks of time, but I must say, for me, there is nothing in the job like getting results and having them published!

[rookiemere]

I'm coasting - I asked to go down a grade a few years ago as I was really struggling to do the job p/t and had some health issues at the time as well.

I like my job, I throw myself into it when I'm there and I'm very careful to keep myself up to date with training and experience, plus being flexible when I need to be (and when it suits).

I did think about going back up a grade when I saw people who used to be a grade lower moving up to the level above, but it would involve 4 full days and more travel, so unless circumstances change, I'm not going to do it until DS is at secondary school. It was actually a mumsnet thread that convinced me to stick rather than twist - I have perfect hours for school and we don't need the extra money, so yes there we go.

[BigBoris]

Yes, good enough is a good term. But sometimes it feels like in this job good enough just really isn't good enough in the eyes of peers. But .... who cares. I do wish I had someone to talk to about this at work, but my mentor is pretty senior and influential and although I like him, I can hardly say to him that I want to chill and enjoy life a bit more. He would probably say that my publication looks like I've been chilling out already! I have noticed though that a female professor in our dept works part-time (she keeps that quite quiet!) I would REALLY like to talk to her about her "journey" (awful word but you know). Not sure if I'd come across as a bit intrusive and nosy though.

[spaceal]

When I opened this thread I imagined you might be an academic, OP. I am and I'm coasting. I find it so difficult to do research without completely throwing myself into it (reading, writing, doing grant applications, doing conferences, really investing emotionally in the research) and I'm not in a place family-wise to want or be able to throw myself in. So I'm working v hard on my teaching and PhD supervision but 'coasting' on the research side. My DP is in a v similar position (we both work PT).

I feel absolutely fine about coasting for now (I worked extraordinarily hard to get where I am) but I'm not sure I can bear it forever. I think ultimately I'm going to leave but I'm taking my time to work out what I'm going to do longer term.

I've also thought about a teaching only contract, as it would remove a lot of (REF) pressures but I worry that my teaching load would skyrocket and my position in the department plummet.

I also like 'good enough' - it comes originally from child psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott and his idea of 'good enough mothering'. It's pretty much my mantra these days. Good enough is always good enough.

[TheChandler]

Have you thought about writing an academic textbook? Working on it could excuse you from publishing for a few years, you could collaborate with a colleague and once the thing is up and running, you can make additional money from it, as well as using your own book to lecture from and getting paid for updating it. Very compatible with teaching.

[Babyroobs]

I am costing in my job. I have 4 kids and work part time but know I am unlikely to work towards any kind of promotion for many years until all my kids are teenagers. I do the minimum required to earn enough money to pay the bills. It does stress me sometimes seeing newer colleauges climbing the ladder quickly just remind myself that they are generally younger with no commitments and that my priorities have to be different for the time being.

[BigBoris]

Yes - me too re: "collaborators". Never ever again I keep muttering under my breath as I plan to spend all this weekend working to meet the funder's deadline, and in order that I can keep on top of exam marking next week, whilst they tell me that they can only spare a couple of hours next week as they have lots of exam marking. Aaaaaanyway, that's another story.