Six simple steps to take during quiet periods to ignite your health research career and prepare for an Horizon Europe application

Many of the researchers I collaborated with, are often struggling with time, absorbed in the turbulent waves of daily experiments, analyses, and publication deadlines, with little time for self-reflection and career development.

However, amidst these demanding periods, researchers may occasionally encounter a calm phase, most commonly during the summer.

While it may be tempting to embrace relaxation wholeheartedly, utilizing these quiet periods effectively can significantly boost their research profile and propel their career forward.

In this blog post, I will explore six valuable activities that can enhance your professional standing and create exciting opportunities for future growth, including an Horizon Europe application.

1. Reflect on your career stage and strategise

Welcome the stillness to evaluate your current career stage and assess your positioning within your field of interest.
This is a low-effort task you can perform while swimming, or while walking in the mountains, but with a very high impact.
Analyse your path, the steps you have taken that have brought you to where you are now. Are you in the position you want to be in? Do you have what it takes to be in this position? What do you aspire to in your future? What can you do today to get closer to that status?
What makes you different from other colleagues in the same position in your area? What do you have that others do not, in terms of education, experience, personal characteristics?

Identify key areas where you need improvement or diversification, and set clear goals for personal and professional growth for the coming year. Use this self-reflection as a foundation to chart your path to success.

Reflecting on your career stage is critical, and it is essential to assess your progress periodically. It helps you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth. In doing so, you can develop a clear plan to achieve your professional and personal goals. This step is essential to maintain your motivation and drive towards success.

2. Update your researcher profiles

During this period of downtime, it is recommended that you take some time to update your researcher profiles on various platforms such as ResearchGate, LinkedIn, and Google Scholar. By doing so, you can ensure that your online presence accurately reflects your areas of expertise and showcases your recent achievements, publications, and collaborations.
Updating your profile regularly and ensuring that it is well-maintained can have a significant impact on your visibility within the academic community. It can enable to find you more easily and help foster potential collaborations. Taking advantage of digital advancements and online networks can optimize the benefits of these tools and help you stay connected with others in your field.

Additionally, while updating your profiles, you may want to consider adding more details about your research interests, ongoing projects, and future goals. Sharing this information can help establish your credibility and expertise in your field, and may even attract new research opportunities or collaborations.

3. Update the inventory of your publications

An organized and accurate publication list is a crucial component of an academic CV. It is essential to keep it updated and well-maintained, including all your published work, such as articles, book chapters, conference presentations, and other contributions. Make sure to reference them correctly across various databases, such as Google Scholar or PubMed. To make your publication list more comprehensive, consider expanding it with additional information. For example, you could provide a brief summary of each publication, outlining its key findings or contributions. Additionally, you could organize your publications according to their impact factor, topic, or relevance to your current research interests. To enhance the accessibility of your publication list, consider adding links or DOI information, enabling others to access your work more easily. You could also include any awards or recognition you have received for your published work. 

By maintaining an organized and detailed publication list, you not only demonstrate your academic productivity but also create an invaluable resource for internal reports or projects and when applying for grants. It will help you keep track of your research, identify areas for further exploration, and showcase your professional accomplishments.

4. Capture inspirations and ideas for new projects

Quiet periods can be incredibly useful for brainstorming and exploring new research ideas, experiment designs, or methods. Take advantage of this time to let your creativity thrive and jot down any inspirations or ideas that have been brewing in your mind. You can use a journal or a digital notebook to keep track of your thoughts.

It's important to record your ideas as they come to you because you need to continuously develop and implement new projects. These sparks of innovation can lead to the creation of exciting new projects that will pique the interest of your peers and the scientific community as a whole. By nurturing these ideas and allowing them to grow, you might be able to make valuable contributions to your field.

You never know when a great idea will come to you, so it's essential to record your thoughts as soon as possible. Doing so will ensure that you don't lose any valuable ideas and that you can refer back to them when the time is right. So, take advantage of quiet periods and let your imagination run wild!

5. Assess your network of collaborators

Collaboration is a cornerstone of scientific innovation, and maintaining good professional networks facilitates sharing of knowledge, resources, and ideas.

One of the most common reasons why researchers do not embark on research and innovation grants like Horizon Europe is the limited access to good working relationships with peers from different institutions, countries, and backgrounds. Researchers who have limited networks may miss out on potential projects, even if they have brilliant ideas.

Use these periods to catalog all the researchers you have collaborated with, met during conferences, or published work alongside.

Register their names, affiliations and emails in a database, together with their specialties or competences and a note to remind in which occasion you collaborated with or met them. This would allow you to personalise and contextualise your message the next time you will reach out to them.

Building and nurturing professional networks is pivotal for research success, as it can lead to new research opportunities, joint publications, and increased visibility within your field.

6. Develop new skills and expertise

In order to stay competitive in the constantly changing scientific world, it is important to continue learning and expanding your knowledge base. While it's important to focus on your current research project, it's also valuable to use quieter periods to enhance your skill set.

One way to do this is by dedicating time to sharpen your skill set. This could mean identifying areas where you could benefit from additional training or courses, such as refining statistical analysis techniques, learning new laboratory methodologies, or attending seminars related to research ethics and publishing. By doing so, you can become more well-rounded and versatile as a researcher.

Another benefit of acquiring new skills and expertise is that it can make you a more valuable and employable researcher. By demonstrating a willingness and ability to learn new things, you can become a more desirable candidate for future job opportunities. Additionally, having a diverse skill set can open doors to cross-disciplinary collaborations and career advancements.

Overall, it's important to remember that the scientific world is always evolving, and staying up-to-date with new methodologies, approaches, and technologies is crucial for continued success. By dedicating time and effort to developing new skills and expertise, you can position yourself as a respected and knowledgeable researcher in your field.

Conclusion

Quiet periods in a researcher's journey are precious moments brimming with untapped potential.
By implementing these practical tips, you can enhance your profile, expand your network, and position yourself for future success.
Embrace these opportunities to refocus, refine, and propel your career forward.
Reflect on your path, cherish collaborations, and engage in skill development.

By capitalizing on these activities, you will boost your research profile, expand your network, and reignite the flame of passion and innovation within your research journey.
Seize these moments to make your research legacy truly remarkable.

Remember, investing in yourself now will pay dividends in the future.