Ever Feel Like You’re Hitting a Wall? Hard?

You’re not alone. Many in academia feel like they’re on a treadmill cranked too high.

Days bleed into nights. Weekends disappear. The passion that led you here? Fading, fast.

Is Work Life Balance Possible in a Clinical Research Career?

Most people would say no. That relentless cycle of research, teaching, and patient care? It’s brutal. Every morning, the race begins. And it never stops.

Your to-do list doesn’t end. You’re constantly switching tasks, shifting gears, trying to keep everything in motion. But those transitions? They’re rough, disruptive, and inefficient. One moment, you’re deep in writing; the next, answering emails or handling admin work. It’s chaos.

Day by day, stress builds. You push through it, but burnout looms closer. The lines between work and rest blur. The days merge into one. Relaxation feels impossible.

And that constant gnawing anxiety? It follows you everywhere. You’re not alone in this; many have walked this path.

My Own Story of Burnout

Balancing my role as an academic hospitalist with research, my days bled together in one relentless loop—rounds, paperwork, lab reports, manuscripts. I was running on fumes. But I told myself, “I’m fine.” I’d done it before, right? During my internal medicine residency, I was a publishing machine, churning out over 50 manuscripts. So I ignored the signs.

But my wife noticed. She saw the hollowness creeping in. “Are you alright?” she’d ask, searching my face, eyes filled with concern. I brushed it off, though I knew something wasn’t right. Writing, once my passion, had become a burden. I’d sit down to focus and… nothing. No energy, no ideas. I couldn’t find the will to read my own data, let alone analyze it.

I started losing weight—15 pounds and counting. I felt weak, but every test came back “normal.” I was falling apart, and no one had answers. Every day felt like a slog, dragging myself through tasks, losing myself one manuscript at a time.

Then, one morning, it hit me—a quiet revelation, a whisper cutting through the noise: I can’t keep doing this. There was no breakdown, no dramatic collapse. It was subtler—a slow erosion that finally reached bedrock. The passion had slipped away, replaced by numbness.

So, I turned to what I knew best—I became my own research project. I dug into studies, read about burnout, and began piecing together the strategies that work and in the process— myself as well. One piece at a time.

The Mindset Shift That Changed Everything

I had been chasing a mythical 50/50 balance—a setup destined to fail.

I began to see my work—and my life—as having two modes: the heavy lift and the simmer. Each served a purpose, creating a rhythm that was more about harmony than balance.

The Heavy Lift

The heavy lift is a sprint, a high-stakes push where you’re fully committed to a single goal. Think of it as the final week before a grant deadline. During this time:

• All other priorities fade: You go all-in, fully immersed, with everything else temporarily set aside.
• Intense focus: Your attention narrows, the work takes center stage, and there’s little room for anything outside the immediate task.
• Acceptance of trade-offs: Skipped workouts, dishes left for tomorrow, and postponed social time are just part of the deal.
• Short, high-energy burst: It’s not sustainable long-term but necessary to reach a specific goal, demanding focus, commitment, and the ability to set other areas of life aside.

The Simmer

Then there’s the simmer—the low, steady burn that keeps the fire going without consuming all your energy. In simmer mode:

• Progress without pressure: Work hums in the background, allowing ideas to form without the demands of an immediate deadline.
• Slow, sustainable momentum: You revisit a research question, draft a few lines, and let your thoughts breathe. While space on your calendar is your friend, often fueling creativity.
• Energy conservation: Simmering keeps the engine warm without draining your reserves, allowing a thoughtful, deliberate pace.
• Flexibility for personal life: When family and friends need you or life outside work requires attention, the simmer gives you the freedom to step back and refocus on what matters most.

I realized a fulfilling career needed both: heavy lifts when it was time to push forward and simmering periods to process, create, and restore. In fact, this is how athletes train. They have intense practice sessions, followed by long periods of rest. For me too, the two modes together created a rhythm that felt achievable—a rhythm that didn’t burn out the fire but kept it glowing steadily.

Life has seasons. When a grant deadline is looming, your personal life may need to take a back seat. Your partner may handle more at home. And when your family needs you, you set the research aside.

Balance isn’t static. It’s harmony. It’s an ebb and flow, like a rhythm.

Practical Strategies to Reclaim Your Rhythm

While life has its seasons, reclaiming your rhythm starts with the day-to-day. The key is to find a flow that feels like you.

Here are some practical strategies that have worked for me over the years:

1. Design Smooth Transitions Between Tasks

• Tiny changes, big impact: A clean desk, a quick stretch, closing out yesterday’s tabs—these small shifts signal to your brain, new task ahead. It’s simple but powerful.
• Time-block like a pro: Write in the morning, handle admin tasks and schedule meetings in the afternoon. I avoid meetings or checking emails until noon. I also post on social media (LinkedIn) at 12:15 pm and am not active on the platform until noon. Give each task its own space. Clear start and end. Boundaries matter.

2. Manage Your Energy, Not Just Your Time

• Ride your energy waves: Notice your energy highs and lows. Align high-energy tasks with peak times. Let the slow moments handle the light stuff. I’m a morning person, so I schedule cognitive tasks like brainstorming and writing in the AM. You might be different. Maybe you focus best at night when everyone’s asleep (including your little ones). Lean into your natural rhythm. Don’t fight it.
• Break with purpose: Take regular breaks to recharge, not just to avoid burnout but to sharpen your focus and come back ready to go. I avoid back-to-back meetings, trying for at least 15 minutes between to recharge. Virtual meetings can be especially draining. A simple 15-minute nap after lunch can recharge you for the afternoon.

3. Set Clear Priorities to Stay Grounded

• Check in, often: Morning, afternoon, evening—pause. Breathe. Refocus on what truly matters in the moment. This is critical when deadlines loom, and everything feels important. Break down tasks into smaller pieces and focus on what’s right in front of you.
• Begin with intention: Start your day by asking, “What will make today a success?” Let that single question cut through the noise. Make that one task your priority for the day. Realistically, you only need up to 3 tasks on your plate (5 is stretching it).

4. Draw Boundaries and Say ‘No’

• Say ‘no’ for clarity: Non-negotiable limits are a form of self-respect. Only a “hell yes” gets a yes. Everything else? It’s a “no.” I limit myself to reviewing only 5 manuscripts and attending no more than 5 conferences yearly. Typical academics might go to 12 or more in a year.
• Take control of your space: Turn off email notifications. Remove work apps from your phone. Remember: their crisis doesn’t have to be your crisis. Power down at a set time—mine is 5 pm. My phone is on Do Not Disturb mode until noon. I use an app called Freedom to block distracting sites (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube). Otherwise, it may be impossible for us mortals to resist the urge.

5. Embrace Self-Kindness as a Tool for Resilience

• Sing your doubts: Yep, sing them. Out loud. You’ll feel ridiculous, and that’s the point—it makes those negative thoughts lose their grip. Imposter syndrome is real. Many high achievers face it, yet they don’t let it hold them back. No one silences doubts completely, but we can learn to work with them. And even use them to our advantage. Leverage it to fuel our growth.
• Shift your focus: Write down worries. Start a gratitude journal. Plan ahead where you can, so you move from chaos to calm. I list 3 things I’m grateful for each morning—a practice that has reset my focus and attitude toward work and life.

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Finding Harmony, Not Perfection

A fulfilling career doesn’t demand endless sacrifices. It’s about intention, prioritization, boundaries, and, most importantly, self-kindness.
Listen to your body. Respect your needs. Reclaim the rhythm that lets you thrive.

What’s one boundary you can set today to protect your time and well-being? Let’s start there.