Print This PostRecently I had reason to update the Gantt chart for my PhD timeline and was confronted with a shocking realisation: I am halfway through. Since returning from maternity leave, whenever anyone has asked, I have happily informed them that against the odds I’m still on track to finish on time… however I appear not to have noticed that six months have now passed. Can I still make that claim? In this month’s blog I’ll be thinking about how to keep on track – particularly when trying to balance the needs of fieldwork with those of the family.
Prior to having a child, I realise now that I was completely naïve to the impact this would have on one’s life. Yes, fine, it might impede your social life a bit, or mean that you have to compromise on your nine hours of sleep or weekend lie-ins, but presumably after returning from parental leave your work life could continue unimpeded? Alas, clearly I was wildly mistaken.
I have mentioned in previous blog posts the various hurdles that make engaging with work that little bit harder. I probably sound like a broken record, but the unaffordability of childcare on a PhD stipend continues to be the biggest of these. In the past few months there have been numerous times where I have had to schedule meetings to (hopefully!) coincide with naps, or talk friends into working from my flat so that we can tag team wrangling a toddler around meetings. My colleagues are probably used to this slightly chaotic approach, however things can get a little trickier when you need to meet with external organisations.
Recently, I was offered a last-minute opportunity to talk with a GP about the potential to recruit their practice to my study. For me, this was a vital meeting: if they agreed, this would be the first practice recruited of the 10 that I need by September. The meeting had to take place online – which worked for me – however it was scheduled for a day when I don’t have childcare. Slightly less ideal. Thank goodness I have some amazing friends, and one agreed to come over for an hour during the meeting, so everything could go ahead. The knowledge that I was working just a couple of doors away was slightly too much temptation for my son which brought a little levity to proceedings that were otherwise very much focussed on advance care planning.
We were very close to recreating the infamous BBC dad interview
But the meeting went really well, and the practice were happy to take part! Data collection started the following week – after worrying that I might be falling behind on my timelines, things seem to be back on track!
Getting back into fieldwork, however, is easier said than done. I’m no stranger to fieldwork; my last project could be quite busy with visits to people with dementia and carers in order to complete outcome measures or interviews, as well as to practices to collect data from medical records or undertake observations. I was happy to be flexible, doing longer days or agreeing to meetings last minute to best get the work done. Now though, things are a little trickier. My study involves videorecording GP consultations, and as such, I need to be available for whenever those consultations are scheduled. Without full-time childcare, this can be challenging. It’s one thing to ask a friend to watch my son for a few hours, but quite another to try to blag a full day of free childcare. While some sites will be within an hour of where I live, others will be further afield, which may throw a spanner in the works even on days where we do have a childminder, if I can’t make it back in time for pick up.
My husband and I had to have a conversation about this recently; about how we will make it work when his role doesn’t afford him the luxury of being able to work from home. The conclusion was that wherever feasible we need to facilitate my fieldwork, as my PhD hinges on it. In general, I’m happy to be the one to stay home if the little guy is ill, or if the childminder is closed or whatever else pops up, but that can’t be the default on days where I’m due to collect data. It’s just too important.
It is crazy to me how much extra thought and extra panic have to go into every aspect of my work to keep it all on track.
It just hadn’t occurred to me that data collection would be so much harder when trying to balance it with the needs of the family. I’m hopeful that this phase of my research will be easier than I fear, with data collection opportunities happening to fall on convenient days. In all likelihood, there will probably be some opportunities I have to miss, or some mad rushes back home to make 5 o clock pick up. As with everything else, I’m sure we’ll muddle a way through. We have to!
Emily Spencer
Author
Emily Spencer is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a musician, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career.
Dementia Researcher
Dr Sam Moxon
Dr Clíona Farrell