Cyclical Productivity: Embracing energy flows in academic work

Many women and other gender-minorities within academia struggle to find the time to do it all - and especially to do their deep work, writing, and conducting their research. Yet, many productivity hacks, tips, and ideas in academia are developed by and for male academics. We need a different way of thinking about our time that breaks away from the myths of linear progression and instead takes the cyclical nature of our energy levels and bodies into consideration. In this workshop, we will discuss how we (women, people with periods, people on other hormonal cycles) as academics (and professionals working to support academics) can shift our mindset from (desperately) finding time to do it all - to sustaining our energy to do what is most important to us.

Hi, I’m Sanne Frandsen and I am a woman-centred coach for academics next to my job as associate professor in organisation and leadership studies. I help academics move from functioning to flourishing by slowing down their everyday hustle in order to speed up their productivity.

Hi, I’m Ana Pineda and I’m a productivity coach, yoga teacher, and scientist. After being a postdoc for 10 years, I left academia and founded “I focus and write”. I am all about building a happier, more creative, and productive life for scientists and their institutions.

You know that focused work and writing is KEY to sharing your ideas, making an impact, and elevating your career. But you probably find it hard to find the time to focus because you have a long to-do list of other stuff you also need to do. We are here to tell you that managing your energy is a much better way to increase your productivity than looking for more time to write.

In the workshop, we will be talking about:

• How we can work with our female/period-based hormonal (even in the absence of periods biology instead of against it.

• How we can shift our thinking to cyclical planning so that we can do more with less
• Other productivity strategies that go beyond just "focus and get things done" (we love those too, just don't work for everyone).

• Mindset shifts to prioritise your energy and work without feeling guilty.
• Navigating perimenopause and menopause at work.

This is a live, interactive workshop experience designed to create a conversation and a shared sense of community around the topic. We know from past workshops that attending live brings about not only information sharing but also a sense of sisterhood.

The workshop is designed for academics, from PhD students to professors, but professional services staff - especially if writing is a big part of their jobs - are also very welcome.