“Rest is not optional”

Regardless of whether you are a Christian or not, there is something special about Christmas in the UK, and that something is this: almost everything stops.

At the University of Birmingham, it’s not only nearly two weeks off; it’s two weeks where you know that everyone else is off too. You can avoid logging in to your e-mail safe in the knowledge that it isn’t filling up with stuff you need to do when you get back. In academia, this is rare, and precious.

Let me say that again: this is rare, and precious. Do not waste this moment. There are important tasks that you can be doing during this time, but those tasks are not related to your research.

Here is your essential to-do list for the next two weeks:

• Spend quality time with your favourite people and/or pets.
• Get outside, when the weather permits, during the hours of daylight.
• Do your favourite (non-work!) things – play, create, watch, enjoy.
• Eat and drink your favourite things.

It’s important that you take this opportunity to take a break from your work during this period. Successful research requires both resilient researchers and fresh insights. Both are more likely when you take regular breaks away from your research and rest.

I can’t put it better than patter: “Rest is not optional; it is essential infrastructure for sustainable scholarship”. Have a wonderful Christmas break.