• Question: How long do you work a week???

    Asked by TerBium to Christie, Dan, David, Dawn, Sian on 20 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Dawn Lau

      Dawn Lau answered on 20 Jun 2016:

      I usually come into work around 8:15am, then I have a 30min – 1 hour break for lunch depending on how busy I am. Around 6, sometimes 6:30pm I leave. So on average I’d say 40-45 hours a week excluding lunch breaks. Sometimes I stay at work a bit longer if I have a deadline to catch, or if I just want some more quiet time for catching up with science news!

      At the moment I’m probably spending around 50 hours a week at work because I’m supervising a Master’s student as well.

    • Photo: Christie Waddington

      Christie Waddington answered on 20 Jun 2016:

      Per week I can work anything from 40hrs – 70hrs depending on what experiments I have that week! There are some experiments that take a long time and mean I have to come in on weekends too, or stay late at night. The latest I’ve stayed at work was 10pm, and the earliest I’ve come into work is 6am – that’s not very often though, just occasionally!

      I do think PhD students have the longest working hours, it just comes with the degree! Once I have the qualification I’m hoping it will all be worth it!

    • Photo: Sian Thomas

      Sian Thomas answered on 21 Jun 2016:

      Probably quite long compared to some other professions. I usually work in the office on Monday -Wednesday so usually from 8.40 until 5.20. Because we have flexible working I work at home on Thursday and Friday – school hours and then when my children are in clubs in the evening. But I also check my social media accounts well into the evening and for the last two weeks have put some time into I’m a scientist at bedtime!!

      I usually do a bit of work at the weekend ( perhaps a few hours) unless there is an event that I am attending. But if I do work at the weekend at an event I get a day off in lieu.

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