Cultivating kindness in academic life

Academic careers are often marked by high-pressure moments, from grant submissions to first-time teaching endeavors. During these times, kindness—both to ourselves and to others—can be transformative. By fostering a culture of recognition, empathy, and mutual support, we not only improve our work environment but also contribute to healthier work-life boundaries and more rewarding collaborations. Nicola's article explores how small, intentional acts of kindness can build a stronger, more compassionate academic community.

Academic life is punctuated with periods of increased stress, such as submitting a grant application, giving an important talk or running a teaching course for the first time. It is at these times kindness can make all the difference. Submitting a grant is always a considerable achievement regardless of whether it is ultimately successful or not. Also, it can take so long to receive a decision that all the hard work you put in can be a distant memory by the time you hear the outcome. Therefore, an easy (and fun!) way to show kindness is to encourage and help yourself and your colleagues to acknowledge and celebrate all the steps along the way. In most cases the amount of work that goes into a non-successful grant application is the same that goes into a successful one, and thus the amount of energy involved has no bearing on its success. Acknowledging that effort is important as it can make us feel seen. Those of us who have had papers or grants rejected know the disappointment that can generate. Validating one another’s feelings is an act of kindness, as evidence suggests that validation can reduce negative emotions whereas invalidation exacerbates negative emotions .

Sometimes it feels much easier and a higher priority to be kind to others rather than to ourselves. However, as with the in-flight instructional video, you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. You’re not going to be any good to others if you are stressed and burnt out. Amelia Earhart said “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” This rings true for me in a number of ways; one being that practising self-care yourself could encourage others to do the same. As someone who works in health behaviour change, I am aware that social observations and norms are powerful influences on our own behaviour . Showing that you take regular breaks from your desk or don’t check emails at certain times (for example) may show someone else that it is possible and that it can result in positive outcomes.

Someone who works full-time will spend at least half their waking hours at work and it often feels like more, especially as we move toward winter and the days feel shorter. Therefore, it is great to foster a community that you enjoy being a part of. However, it is also healthy to promote boundaries between work and other parts of our life to allow for time to recharge. Therefore, it is important to also respect the boundaries of others and that these boundaries may be different to our own, i.e., the times they may choose to respond to emails and whether they choose to socialise with colleagues outside of work. This is one of the instances where it is important to meet people where they are, appreciating differences between us, and the diversity of perspectives this brings. If a colleague works best in a different way to you, spending time to find a way to work that will benefit you both is likely to mean the finished product is reflective of that effort. A culture of kindness can promote an openness that allows for these kinds of discussions. When people do open up being attentive to what they are telling you further promotes relationships. For example, if somebody tells you that they are extremely busy and feeling overwhelmed be mindful of not providing them with more to do and offer assistance if you are in a position to do so. Even if there is realistically not a lot you can do to help, your colleague is likely to feel heard and appreciative. The trust and openness that develop in relationships grounded in kindness encourage people to share their ideas, work together and make collaborations more fruitful.

The more the members of a team or wider department practice these acts of kindness the more natural they will become, the more people will adopt them, and the more likely it will be that people implement these behaviours in their life outside work. Another win for work-life balance!