Careers

How and why to say ‘no’ to colleagues and collaborators

From Nature Careers

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The world’s most productive scientists often have CVs that are filled with dozens of pages of publications, suggesting that they accept and take full advantage of every opportunity they are offered. But committing time and energy to any one project can limit other opportunities.

Many young scientists and principal investigators have a difficult time saying ‘no’ to offers to collaborate or join seemingly important committees — often thinking “something is better than nothing”. It is important to prioritize — and to make best use of a limited supply of time and energy to follow high-output pursuits, allowing time to recuperate outside of work.

Working in an academic medical centre, we are consistently surrounded by competing demands. Akshay Shanker is a resident physician who balances clinical responsibilities with research, volunteering and leadership pursuits. Ruth Gotian designs and leads professional-development workshops on time management, among other themes, and pursued a doctorate while working full time.


Managing your calendar and learning how to allocate time to the right projects are crucial first steps – Read the full article for top tips on how and when to say no in this post shared from Nature Careers – https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00898-7

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