Academic research can be both enormously rewarding and enormously challenging. Pressure to achieve in research can be immense, demands to publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at international conferences, organise your own conferences, be superb networkers, win funding and ideally gain professional experience in teaching, administration and project management have become more and more intense. Staying a relatively balanced, productive, sane and sociable individual is no mean feat when you are a Researcher, but it does help when you know you are not the only one and you don’t have to go it alone.
our model for Researcher Wellbeing encourages connections and time for both mental and physical health
We have a range of wellbeing initiatives here at SETU Waterford to help you cope with the highs and lows that everyone experiences doing research. Our wellbeing initiatives are based around: Being Connected, Being Active, Being Present , Being Engaged, and Being Kind. We actively encourage you to take time out at regular wellbeing events including Researcher Wellbeing Walks on the local Waterford Greenway, Researcher Games Sports Days, Researcher Bake offs, Researcher Networking Coffee Mornings, Festive Get Togethers, as well as Spring and Summer Socials.
We have a dedicated Researcher Wellbeing Twitter account (@wellwitresearc1) promoting various aspects of researcher wellbeing and sign posting you to other useful wellbeing resources. These regular informal social opportunities for Researchers provide you with an opportunity to network and to share the many potential wellbeing pitfalls of research, swap coping strategies, share information and connect with your community.