Academic institutions (and non-profits) don&#x27;t necessarily function the same way as corporations. You can expect managers in a for-profit organization to try and squeeze every ounce of productivity out of you. That&#x27;s their job, really. They&#x27;d be doing a disservice to shareholders&#x2F;stakeholders if they didn&#x27;t try to get you to put 100% of your time and energy into the company.<p>So if you want breaks, you just have to take them. If you want to work 6 hours instead of 8,10,12, (or take part of your day to continue your education), you&#x27;re going to have to &quot;just do it&quot;. But no, I wouldn&#x27;t expect anyone who is responsible for your output to give you &#x27;permission&#x27; to work fewer hours, or work less intensely. They will always ask for more, and you&#x27;ve just got to learn how to push back.<p>In other words: You&#x27;ve got to learn how to be just as strong as an advocate for your own well-being as they are for the company&#x27;s. Once you learn these skills, it&#x27;s quite possible to have a good work&#x2F;life balance, and to make time for the things you find important.