Stefano Sandrone as a child, on holiday.Credit: Image courtesy of Stefano’s mother, Elisabetta
The culture of long working days, often including weekends, is a troubling norm at many scientific institutions. A 2023 Nature survey of postdoctoral scholars, for example, found that 24% of respondents worked more than 10 extra hours over their contractual hours each week.
I am from Italy, which grants students one of the most generous holiday allowances across all educational levels, from the beginning of primary school to secondary school: a three-month summer break plus days off for religious celebrations and bank holidays.
The lengthy summer break can be a joy for children and a nightmare for parents. Thanks to my family’s efforts to make the most of those three months while I was growing up, I’ve learnt to enjoy, value and plan holidays.
As a child, my holidays were filled with lengthy football matches with friends, cultural day trips with mum, gardening with my grandfather, many ice creams and sporadic swims at the nearby Mediterranean seaside with my cousins. There weren’t many moments when I didn’t know what to do, but books and television filled the days when needed.
During this time, I learnt how to take holidays seriously. Now that I work as a neuroscientist at Imperial College London, researching how students can learn more effectively, I’ve seen colleagues fail to prepare for their time off. I’ve outlined four steps to nudge students and scientists to embrace stress-free holidays and treat them with the seriousness they deserve.
Avoid the sense of guilt
I sometimes felt guilty about taking time off during the early stages of my academic journey. For my PhD programme, I relocated overseas. I was the youngest member of the laboratory, keen to master new techniques. These factors led me to think, wrongly, that I had to outwork many senior colleagues. But learning takes time, and becomes even more powerful when combined with periods of reflection and relaxation. Plus, most of us are legally entitled, and sometimes even required, to take annual leave: we should feel guilty about not taking those days.
Taking time off also boosts my productivity and creativity — which benefits the workplace much more than the days spent dragging out tasks and stubbornly refusing to leave my desk. Contrary to the popular belief that you must complete every task on your to-do list before taking leave, I can list at least nine papers and seven grant applications I have edited and resubmitted after returning from a holiday — and they were all successful!
Plan ahead of time
Going on holiday does not have to be expensive or stressful: focus on what you can foresee, but do not worry too much about things you can’t control.
The real game-changer with preparing beforehand is not the ‘book ahead to secure the best deal’ aspect, but taking time to make a plan for work in your absence. For the sake of your co-workers, avoid taking time off during periods when you know you’ll be busy or your presence is absolutely required.
But at other times, embrace the risk. Tell your colleagues you will be away (one clear e-mail should do), take the necessary steps to minimize disruption — only you know what those are for your job — and trust your team. Regarding the destination, do not ignore staycations, or stay-at-home holiday options. Exploring your local area and its surroundings ‘as a tourist’ provides a chance to see them from a new perspective. There is probably a museum, a park or a lake near your home. Frequent visits to the Pinacoteca di Brera gallery in Milan, Italy, during my undergraduate studies and swims in the river in Zurich, Switzerland, before beginning my PhD training are memories I still cherish.
A young Stefano Sandrone stands near sailboats on a beach.Credit: Image courtesy of Stefano’s mother, Elisabetta
