Passion for science can make it hard to stop thinking about work outside office hours. One solution is to engage in hobbies that force you to switch off from thoughts of work, such as sports, crafts or, in my case, music. At choir rehearsals, I effortlessly shift my focus off small black ants onto the small black notes on the sheet music.

Choirs, teams or dance groups can offer a welcome break from the scientific world, where social gatherings inevitably lead to talking shop. In the choir, I meet people in different professions and life situations. While I may tell the occasional ant story, pub discussions are as likely to revolve around life as a casino dealer, teacher or full-time mother.

But perhaps most importantly, performing in a concert or learning a new piece of music gives me a feeling of instant gratification that research sometimes lacks. The average biological project can take years from planning to writing up, and when your inbox finally delivers that longed-for letter of acceptance, you're already deep into the next project. Short-term successes outside science — learning a new language, competing in a race or performing in a play — can boost your morale, giving you strength to continue in the marathon run towards graduation.