Physics Grad School (and career) Work-Life Balance: Physics vs Other Fields

[physics_piano_man]

Let’s start things off straight: I LOVE physics. I love the opportunity to understand the world more in depth and mathematically and have had good experiences with all my professors in all of my classes. I have loved the teaching experience I have had as a several-time TA, as well as the deeper understanding of the subject matter that it has brought. I have enjoyed the research I have been doing for the past three years at my university, had a successful (virtual) REU last summer during the COVID pandemic, and have an interesting internship at a National Lab right now that is opening fascinating horizons in plasma physics (a field not taught at my university but which I am now considering for grad school).

I feel like applied physics is a natural fit for me, and I have been planning to get my physics PhD and a career somewhere I can do interesting research (and ideally teach too). As I gear up for my senior year of undergrad, however, including all the grad school application prep that comes with (looking for good matches in programs/advisors, GRE, gathering application materials, etc), I’m starting to get cold feet. As much as I love physics, I am also a part-time musician, have meaningful relationships with friends and family, and am trying to stay in shape – while I understand I will probably have to scale these things back at some point, I would hate to let my life fall apart in pursuit of my career, so I am worried about possible work-life balance during grad school and beyond.

(I understand there will be times when the pendulum has to shift more towards work, like before conferences/finishing a publication, or while studying for qualifying exams in grad school. I'm asking more in general/overall.)Is physics (grad school and career) the grueling, life-consuming behemoth I keep hearing about on physics forums? With my experimental/applied interests, I have some interesting options with electrical engineering, optics, or mechanical/aerospace engineering programs; would I be better off going for a masters there instead, and would the resulting career options be any better for work-life balance? (Or should I just drop it all, get a one-year Data Science masters and join the FIRE movement to retire by the time I would have graduated with my PhD? )

 

[Vanadium 50]

Is physics (grad school and career) the grueling, life-consuming behemoth I keep hearing about on physics forums

Certainly grad school is. And it's largely self-inflicted. Nobody wants to stick around for 10 years if they can finish in 8, or 8 years if they can finish in 6, etc.

 

[dlgoff]

Let’s start things off straight: I LOVE physics.

Same for me. I have a BS in Engineering Physics. This post may be relevant:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/random-thoughts-part-6.875108/post-6494703

 

[physics_piano_man]

Certainly grad school is. And it's largely self-inflicted. Nobody wants to stick around for 10 years if they can finish in 8, or 8 years if they can finish in 6, etc.

If it's largely self-inflicted, to what degree does a grad student have control over their schedule/work-life balance? I can't help thinking I'd rather spend 8 years having an enjoyable experience than 6 years of anxiety and overwork. (I do imagine it would depend on the professor one works with, though.)

 

[physics_piano_man]

Same for me. I have a BS in Engineering Physics. This post may be relevant:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/random-thoughts-part-6.875108/post-6494703

Thanks; that's definitely something I could see myself feeling, so I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If it's largely self-inflicted, to what degree does a grad student have control over their schedule/work-life balance?

I don't even know how to answer that, given that I wrote "largely self-inflicted".

I've known graduate students who had a wonderful, stress-free time.
For 14 years.

 

[Office_Shredder]

I don't even know how to answer that, given that I wrote "largely self-inflicted".

I've known graduate students who had a wonderful, stress-free time.
For 14 years.

I assume at some point they lost funding though?

 

[Choppy]

Yes grad school is a challenge. But it's certainly possible to balance it with the other aspects of your life.

A big part of finding that balance lies in your own first sentence. You have to really love doing physics. That's not only because you'll be doing a lot of it, but it also helps when you derive a personal sense of purpose through it, that you don't feel as though you're wasting time that could be better spent doing something else.

In my experience, once you get through the course work, graduate school is a lot like a full time job. One of the perks is that as a student you often get a fair degree of flexibility with your time (though this is supervisor dependent). So long as you're making sufficient progress on your work and your supervisor is happy, you can come and go as you please. Again, if you generally love being there, you tend to put in the hours and make progress. But you can also make fitness a regular part of your schedule, make time for socialization, friends, a significant other, take up a new hobby or try a new sport... This is one of the reasons why its important not to focus so much on getting into a "top" school, rather to find a school where you're most likely to find your own balance and thrive.

It also really helps to find a supervisor that you jive with. Make sure you set out expectations early, have those conversations about milestones, what's expected of you day-to-day, etc. Lay out a schedule and stick to it, but don't over-book yourself.

So yes, it will be tough. There will be some late nights and early mornings, some weeks where you have to sacrifice some of those activities you'd really rather be doing. But lots of people do it very successfully.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I assume at some point they lost funding though?

Some did, some didn't. One had to be kicked out of his office before he would finish.