Setting Boundaries for Women Researchers

Have you ever found yourself saying "yes" to a project when your plate was already overflowing? Or apologizing profusely before declining a meeting? If you're nodding along (or maybe even wincing a little), welcome to the club! As women leaders, many of us have earned black belts in the martial art of stretching ourselves too thin. Managing time expectations is fundamentally different for women leaders. When we set boundaries, we risk being labeled "not a team player" – labels that somehow rarely seem to stick to our male counterparts. Women leaders also shoulder a disproportionate load of "office housework" – those necessary but invisible tasks like mentoring junior staff, planning celebrations, or taking notes in meetings. (One study found women spend about 200+ more hours annually on these non-promotable tasks than men at the same level. That's basically a part-time job you never applied for!) But here's the truth: your ability to lead effectively depends on setting clear expectations for your time. It's not selfish – it’s smart. Here are 5 strategies you can use to protect your time like a mama bear without growling at every request that comes your way.

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨? After my last post on power abuse in academia sparked such an important conversation with great input from people like Robert Harris, Dr. Avneesh Kumar, Russell Crew-Gee, Samira Hosseini, Ertila Druga, Gregory Antonios, LLM PhD, and Douglas S. Campbell (ダグラス キャンベル) M.A. Ph.D. SMBA to name a few, I want to focus on practical steps that researchers—especially those in vulnerable positions—can take to protect themselves and navigate these challenges. 1. Document Everything Keep a record of incidents, including dates, times, emails, and witnesses. If the situation escalates, having clear documentation strengthens your position. When in doubt, take someone you can trust, with you! 2. Build a Support Network You are not alone. Seek out trusted mentors, colleagues, or support groups. Peer networks can provide advice, emotional support, and sometimes even act as witnesses. 3. Know Your Rights Familiarize yourself with institutional policies on harassment and power abuse. Understand reporting mechanisms and know where to find external advocacy resources if needed. 4. Establish Boundaries Toxic environments often thrive on blurred lines. If possible, set clear professional boundaries regarding workload, communication expectations, and respect. Be very attentive to red flags! 5. Seek Alternative Avenues If you feel trapped, explore alternative funding, collaborations, or even career paths. Your academic journey should not depend on a single individual or institution. Academia must do better—but in the meantime, these strategies can help individuals navigate the system as it is. Have you encountered power abuse in research settings? What strategies helped you? Let’s discuss. #Academia #HigherEducation #PhDLife #PowerAbuse #ResearchCulture

A lesson I'm learning time and time again. Too often, women are expected to bend their comfort to make things easier and more comfortable for others. In our careers, we see this by: - Having to work late to make sure a particular project or goal gets across the line. - Being tasked with "housekeeping tasks" like planning the teambuilding activity or ensuring the dinner plans for the team are settled. - Having to prove that what we did made some astronomical organizational impact when Brad was able to launch one project and is now VP. - Being expected to wait on a promotion due to "organizational constraints," yet those organizational constraints are nowhere to be found when Brad is up for a promo. - And more Women, particularly underrepresented women, are expected to do twice as much with half the resources and support. This is a tale as old as time. Not only does it burn us out, but it ensures nothing for us. - We're not promised career advancement. - We're not given further career development. - We're not provided with additional resources or support. So all we're doing is burning our light out for the sake of others. To that I say, "no thank you." And it manifests through boundaries, which can sound like: - "Thank you for thinking of me! Right now, I’m at capacity with my current workload. I can prioritize this if we shift or delay some other projects—let me know how you’d like to proceed." - "I want to make sure I’m focusing on the priorities aligned with my role. Could we discuss whether this fits into my responsibilities or if there’s someone else better suited to handle it?" - "Housekeeping tasks are important, but I believe it would benefit the team if we rotate or share them to ensure everyone has equal bandwidth for their primary responsibilities. Could we create a system to manage this together?" 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺. What are other ways you assert your boundaries at work? Drop them in the comments! 🧡 Editor's note: Nothing against Brads! Was just thinking of a more common man's name who I often see being promoted, usually of the European-American variety. _______________________________________ ♻️ Repost to support others Have you subscribed to You Belong Here yet? https://lnkd.in/gqMquD5j