A study concludes that the pressure to achieve scientific recognition makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy work–life balance, while creativity and the motivation to contribute to society help mitigate this tension.
A study conducted by INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) and the Universitat de València reveals that publishing highly cited scientific articles and gaining recognition within the academic community do not always translate into greater happiness. The findings show that the pressure associated with achieving this prestige can ultimately have a negative impact on researchers’ well-being.
The study, published in the journal Research Evaluation, analyses how scientific impact influences the personal well-being of more than 2,400 academics in Spain. “We expected to find that scientific impact would generate satisfaction from the recognition achieved, at least up to a certain point. However, the data show that the predominant effect is that the associated pressure reduces satisfaction from the outset,” explains Joaquín M.ª Azagra, researcher at INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) and co-author of the study.
Research today takes place in highly competitive environments, where publications, citations, and scientific visibility play a central role in professional evaluation. This situation can lead researchers to prioritise external goals and performance metrics over personal or vocational interests. The findings suggest that the problem lies not in scientific recognition itself, but in the pressure associated with achieving it. One of the keys to understanding this effect is the difficulty of maintaining a healthy work–life balance.
The study also identifies several factors that can help mitigate these negative effects. “Researchers who remain strongly motivated to contribute to society or who approach their work more creatively report higher levels of happiness, even in contexts where there is intense pressure to achieve scientific impact,” says Ana M. Tur, Professor in the Department of Basic and Personality Psychology at the Universitat de València and co-author of the study.
According to the authors, these findings suggest that connecting research with social purposes and fostering opportunities for creativity can help preserve the satisfaction of those pursuing scientific careers. “Evaluation systems should be concerned not only with the results researchers produce, but also with the conditions under which they carry out their work,” concludes Azagra.
The study suggests that scientific institutions could complement traditional performance indicators with measures related to well-being, autonomy, and work–life balance, thereby incorporating a broader perspective on the quality of research systems.
Reference: Joaquín M.ª Azagra-Caro, Ana M. Tur-Porcar (2026). Scientific impact at the expense of happiness? Work/life balance in performance-driven research careers. Research Evaluation, 35, rvag030. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/
