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Everyone has personal responsibilities and obligations in addition to graduate studies and/or their Â鶹ӳ»­ job. At times, it can be difficult to balance those demands, and a classic ‘9-to-5’ day may not be optimal. The exact hours you choose to work are up to you, with the exception of your TA and/or RA duties that may require that you are on campus or part of a virtual meeting at specific times. Being on-campus or available via email or virtual meetings between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm most days may, however, help facilitate collaborative working.

Please discuss with your advisor vacations or notable absences in advance. Permission for vacation is very rarely required, but please respect key deadlines within the calendar year and the fact that we work in a research community. It is important to take a vacation, respect weekends (or time in lieu) and establish a sustainable work–life balance. It is also important to respect the time and efforts of others, and the contribution of funders, and to note that effective working will improve the quality of your research. Where there are key time pressures, it is important to prioritize work. If you struggle with establishing a sustainable work-life balance, please discuss this with your advisor at an early stage or with your peers for suggestions on how to find this balance. Also note that if you are being paid on a RA, traditional breaks (e.g., winter break, spring break, and summer) are not holidays; if you wish to take off time during your contract periods (outside of the official public holidays included within these periods, such as Christmas Day, New Years Day, Fourth of July, etc.), you should plan to discuss this with your advisor.