Why “Work Harder” Is Terrible Advice for PhDs

R3ciprocity.com - Prof David Maslach: Innovation; Research Life; Striving Towards Happiness · Feb 7, 2026 · 9m

I strongly believe that working harder reduces research quality.

And I know that sounds wrong in academia.

But 95% of the advice I hear is either:

• “You just need to work harder,” or

• Some kind of anxious humble-brag about late nights, weekends, and exhaustion.

And every time I hear it, it makes people feel terrible.

Behind.

Like they’re not doing enough.

Like they’re the problem.

That advice is filled with anxiety and insecurity. And it’s incredibly harmful.

I’ve done the late nights. I’ve done the weekends. I’ve done the stretches where I told myself, “Just push harder.”

Here’s what…