So, my supervisor tends to give me a lot of tasks that aren't overly relevant to my research (e.g., reviewing papers, writing reports, organizing meetings, etc.). Usually, it's just a matter of displacing work that he should be doing. Now, these tasks are slowing me down to the point where major milestones are being delayed. In the past when I was new, I thought that I had to comply with everything, and I'd literally do whatever it took to make him happy. But I'm beginning to think that standing up to him and being honest and flat out saying: I'll get to it when I get to it.

I realize he pays me, but after all, I'm sacrificing years of my life so I can advance MYSELF!

I was just wondering if anyone deals with this and how they cope.

Are u his RA or something? i.e. what do you mean when you say he pays you?

Yes, I guess you'd say I'm his RA. I'm not in the UK, so I gather things are a little different here. There's no fixed requirements in terms of time or anything like that.

I don't mind doing some tasks, but he shows ZERO appreciation. There's a saying in our group that: he shows appreciation by giving more work when you complete a task.

Anyway, it's gotten to the point, where we discuss these irrelevant tasks more than my research. In fact, I don't get any feedback/advice about my research...but that's another thread.

I think RA meetings and supervision meetings are to be entirely separate. Good supervisors MUST distinguish between and keep separate the roles of employer and supervisor. I am RA for my supervisor on a 21 country project and never for a moment do I feel it's hampering my work in any way at all. In fact, when I overdo stuff on the RAship sup gets stern and asks me to prove with concrete outputs that thesis has not suffered! :-)

I think a conversation is in order about your thesis, with your sup, where you outline clear goals and a timeline of work.

I think you've raised some good points. Meetings should definitely be kept separate. It's awesome that you're actually interested in your RA work. Mine are usually menial and administrative. Anyway, a meeting to sort these things out is definitely long overdue! Thanks for the advice.

Hi, you must know though that admin work is a huge component of academic life. I do a lot of admin work, but then, so does the director of the project. I see her spending time and efforts on things which are at best tedious and time consuming when all she would have wished to do would be to write speeches for addressing multi stakeholder gatherings! Project management skills are best learnt on the job. I am learning *so much* just by liaising with multuiple departments, by seeing 21 countries collaborate, by seeing that a project involves managing colleagues who do not speak your language, managing egos, organising efficiently, prioritising between admin tasks, directing without being directive. These are all admin related, none of these are 'research' tasks.

Formatting a table correctly and ensuring that no error slips in, is an experience for instance that I could look down on. Why would I, a future scholar be formatting tables? BUT, it teaches attention to detail, precision, humility and all of that has filtered into my own work. I look at my productivity now, and before I started the work and I am amazed! I look at the ease with which I liaise and organise and I am amazed, I look at how perseverance and humility has percolated into my own thesis management, and I am again amazed.

Good luck. Even organising meetings is a skill worth learning. Academics who make it big, make it there because they've learnt it all and know exactly how to administer, direct, manage and of course delegate ;-)