Is Being a Professor All Work and No Play?

[NewtonianAlch]

I don't think anyone chooses to be a professor for "free time", I think you're looking at this the wrong way. Whilst job benefits, perks and other luxuries are great to have, you shouldn't be choosing a job based on those luxuries.

 

[TMFKAN64]

The advantage of being a professor is that you have a lot of free time to devote to your research.

If you don't see that as free time, you are probably better off not being a professor.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Here where I live I think things are different. You need to work a lot when you're a young professor, but if you make it to the top(not necessarily a nobel prize winner) you will have tons of free time by using your grad-students to do your work.

But yeah, here to get hired as a professor you just need to pass a test(and have the minimum qualifications) and the government isn't going to fire you even if you do nothing.
Things in the US seem harsh.

So if you want free time think about learning portuguese and coming to brazil.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Here where I live I think things are different. You need to work a lot when you're a young professor, but if you make it to the top(not necessarily a nobel prize winner) you will have tons of free time by using your grad-students to do your work.

But yeah, here to get hired as a professor you just need to pass a test(and have the minimum qualifications) and the government isn't going to fire you even if you do nothing.
Things in the US seem harsh.

So if you want free time think about learning portuguese and coming to brazil.

So, you think supervising graduate students and making sure their work is sounds is free time?

Finding funding to support them is free time?

...

BEING A PROFESSOR is a Lifestyle. You basically breathe and live research. In fact, if you don't balance the professorship well, it'll be detrimental to your personal life. I've seen it. It belongs to the dark side of professorships. Rarely mentioned.