• Question: does your job allow you to spend time with your family

    Asked by adibigbo to Chia-Yu, Helen, Matthew, Matt H, Rhod on 14 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by siobhangray12.
    • Photo: Matthew Hudson

      Matthew Hudson answered on 14 Jun 2013:

      Yes, all the time!

      I work for Shell who are a really great company for allowing us time to be with our families and take nice holidays.

      I am currently working in Houston, Texas, so I am far away from my family, but I fly back to England at least once a month. In Houston we also get Friday off every two weeks, so I have many long weekends to be with my family!

    • Photo: Matt Carnie

      Matt Carnie answered on 15 Jun 2013:

      My wife works for the same university (although on a different campus), so we get to see each other for lunch every so often.

      Universities tend to be really flexible employers, my work is judged on what I produce rather than how many hours I’m at my desk or lab bench.

      Usually, If I want to finish early or start late for some reason, its no problem. I’ll catch up with the work at home in the evening.

    • Photo: Chia-Yu Lin

      Chia-Yu Lin answered on 16 Jun 2013:

      Yes, especially that my wife and I work in the same lab. We work together and help each other, which makes our research easier, and have more time in non-science things, such as movies.

    • Photo: Rhodri Jenkins

      Rhodri Jenkins answered on 17 Jun 2013:

      Yes. Science is a wonderful career for it’s flexibility. However it does work both ways … though I generally try to work 9-5 and if I need an afternoon / morning off it’s hardly ever a problem … sometimes if something needs to be done in the lab I can be here very late.

      But it’s not because I’m told to … or because I’m asked … it’s because sometimes experiments are longer than a working day, sometimes deadlines come up that required more work than I can give in a working day … or sometimes it’s because I just want to work a bit longer. It’s a job you have to be enthused for, for sure.

    • Photo: Helen Pritchard-Smith

      Helen Pritchard-Smith answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      Yes, the working hours are flexible which means i work a lot but i make sure i spend enough time with my fiancee, housemate and friends.

      It is important to strike the right balance, research can be addictive and all consuming so finding time for loved ones can be challenging but it is essential for my mental health and happiness.

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