it's interesting talking to #academics about why i don't want to stay in #academia. many tell me how stressed they are, how much work they have, how they took annual leave but worked anyway, then top it off with "but i do love what i do" 1/7

#AcademicTwitter #brokenacademia

i look back at my journey and remember thinking *exactly* the same thing. when prospective #PhD students asked for advice id often say:
"you gotta NEED to know the answer to your question otherwise you will probably struggle. i hate around 90 % of my job... 2/7

...but the other 10 % is so fantastic, the 90 % doesn't matter"

on the one hand this is true, i really love discovering things, interacting with participants (many now are some of my best mates), writing papers (yes, im *that* guy), learning, teaching etc 3/7

but the amount of BS that goes with all that: 18 months to publish a paper due to null results, editing to fit each journals formatting requirements, ENDLESS admin, the gaslighting, sexism, racism (even if doesnt affect me directly), hierarchies, time wasting procedures etc 4/7

i can now see this all as an outsider and my opinion is that for me, it is not worth it.

that 10 % is not worth my mental, physical, or social wellbeing. the freedom to think upon leaving is unreal. i can see how oppressive the system is. 5/7

but it can exploit us because it knows we LOVE that 10 %.

so i guess the question is whether you value that 10 %* more than you value YOU?

*(or whatever the % is for you) 6/7

#ecrchat #AcademicChatter #brokenacademia #altac

(admittedly now is a tough time to be thinking about alternative careers, but when things have settled, don't forget how #universities have treated you during this time) 7/7

PS. recommend following @cjcornthwaite for insights into leaving academia