How to stay motivated as a researcher

Research can sometimes move painfully slowly. Experiments may consume an excessive amount of time – and then fail. Academics must toil for many years before they get tenure. ‘You have this grand vision of what you want to happen, but it’s a lot of little steps until you get there,’ says Angela Brown, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, US. ‘There’s also just so much rejection along the way.’

The daily grind can understandably steal your drive to work from time to time. However, it might be time for introspection if you have failed to find your enthusiasm for a long period. Once you have ruled out serious issues, such as mental illness, abuse and family problems, try these expert-backed suggestions to address your motivation problems.