Edward A. David

When presented with an opportunity, don’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ first. Instead, ask ‘why’. Academia comes with many opportunities — a new collaboration, a new writing idea, a new project — and there will always be a fear of missing out. Certainly, I must say ‘yes’ to everything that comes my way, right? Otherwise I, as an early career researcher, will scupper my chances of later securing that elusive permanent teaching post.

There is also the risk of saying ‘no’ to too many of those opportunities, or the risk of not thinking about any opportunities at all. This comes when we keep our heads down in the sand, focussing too much on the task at hand. In short, we do our work instead of doing strategy. In this scenario, we may not be too thinly spread, but we may be left far behind.

I’ve learnt that in order to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to anything, one must first ask ‘why’. Why do this project? This question inevitably leads to related queries: What good will it do for the world, the academy, others, myself? How will I do it? Do I have enough resources and time? With whom will I do it? Etc.

After asking these questions, and coming up with some answers (no matter how tentative), you’ll be able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ — or some combination of the two — with confidence. Most importantly, you’ll be able to reply from a strategic position, from a position of knowing where you want to go by agreeing to, or kindly declining, what is presented before you.

That said, I have said ‘yes’ to quite a few things in 2023 that I’m currently thinking of saying ‘no’ to before they are completed. Most are extracurricular activities — learning a new language, taking a class, etc. — and so I don’t feel too bad backing out of them. Others are slightly more substantial and serious. If I don’t back out of them, the intent is to push back the deadlines. Sometimes, ‘no’ can simply be ‘not now’.

At any rate, the particular lesson here is to be open to change. Strategies may need to be updated in light of developing facts. A project may take much longer than expected, and this may have knock-on effects on your workflow. An initiative may not be so promising in the end; it may be worth bowing out while you can. How will you know whether a change is needed? Strategising. Making time to reflect, to take stock, and to plan for the future.