Work-Life Balance: A Conversation With Dr Sharon Sneddon

Abstract

What was your university experience like?

I did my undergraduate degree here in Glasgow and it took me a while to settle in, I was the first person in my family to go to University, and I had no reference to what it should be like. I really started enjoying University from third year onwards, as by then I had a well-established friendship group and had finally worked out how to study, and just how much effort I had to put in to pass my exams. Study didn’t come naturally to me and it did take me a while to get the hang of things. My favourite part about the course was being in the Anatomy department every Friday afternoon, we’d either have histology or dissection, and we were taught by some amazing teachers who were real characters and really passionate about the subject. It was in these classes that I developed my love for embryology, looking at serially sectioned embryos.

Were you involved in any extracurriculars during your university experience?

I was heavily involved in dance and musical theatre as an undergraduate, but not through the university, I would rehearse 3-4 nights a week. It was something that I was passionate about, but it meant that I didn’t have much time for other things. I was part of a netball team in my final year, but that was only because they were short of a player. I was completely hopeless, and still have flashbacks from when I’d try to pass the ball, and inevitably pass to the opposition.

How did you balance university with other commitments?

I don’t think I really considered it at the time, I had what I had to do each day, and I was pretty good at making sure it all got done. I think it was slightly easier for us as we had a very regular timetable which was the same the whole year, so that meant I knew exactly what time I had available for all my commitments outside of study.

How did you prioritise/organise your separate commitments and university work?

I tried to prioritise my university work, so I would go straight to the library after lectures to write up my notes and do my research for tutorials. We had labs each week that had pre-lab work to be completed, so I always made sure these were done well in advance. My next priority would be work, as I needed the money to pay for travel to uni. I had a routine, and that made it easy for me to stick to.

I wrote everything down in my Union diary (I still have mine!) and carried this with me everywhere as there was no moodle or online timetables in my day!

Did you manage to make time for social commitments, if so how did you manage this along with all your other commitments?

I lived at home and I had two part-time jobs, so I was always busy. I sometimes felt like I missed out on social events, especially spontaneous things, as I always either had to be going to work, rehearsals, or constrained by public transport times! I had to be very organised, I still had time for friends and family, but other activities like reading for pleasure or watching TV didn’t happen! Going out-wise, whereas other students would be in Hive every Thursday and Cheesy Pop every Friday (is that still a thing in the QM?), I’d probably do those once a month / six weeks.

Has this balance changed/become harder to manage since you’ve left university and become a staff member?

It’s different as I have more responsibilities now. I miss the carefree days of not really worrying about mortgages and pensions and insurance, and my job is really busy and has become busier as more students join the course. I think as I’ve become older, I am much less organised than I used to be, but I think that is because I have more to manage.

How did you manage your mental health during university/ has this become harder nowadays?

I was very lucky to not have any particular tough periods at University, but since leaving, I have gone through periods where I have struggled, things like grief, loss, stress unfortunately affect us all, and dealing with these on top of study and work can be a real challenge. I am very lucky to have a great support network of family, friends, and terrific colleagues in the medical school who I can go to when things get hard.

Are there any resources you would recommend from the uni/elsewhere to help students balance all of their responsibilities?

A diary! I no longer use a paper one, but I use Notion to organise myself. I integrate my home calendar and my work calendar so I always know what I am doing. There are lots of great organisation apps. Notion takes some work to set up, but it’s worth the effort, I plan meals, activities, work meetings, lectures, the lot!

I’m also very keen on the idea of habit stacking – and there are lots of apps for this, but I don’t use one, I just pick one thing I’d like to start doing, then stack that onto something I already do, then it increases the chance I’ll stick to it! Google the 21 90 habit rule!