I’ve seen lots of indignant tweets on #AcademicTwitter about receiving review requests from journals over the holidays. Here are some reflections, from a journal editor (who is also an author, and a reviewer, of course) - writing in my personal capacity. 1/18

Yes, you might feel that it is unreasonable when an editor e-mails with a request for a review in the holidays. It may feel like an intrusion. Consider, however, why editors would do this. 2/18

There is one very obvious reason: Authors are submitting manuscripts during the holidays. Which need reviewing. No submissions, no reviews needed. 3/18

Should we maybe, instead of asking why editors are sending out review requests, be asking why authors are submitting papers in the holidays? Berating them for being unreasonable, and disrespecting others’ rest times? Suggesting that they not submit papers in the holidays? 4/18

No. We shouldn’t. Because people’s schedules are their own. Some academics don’t celebrate the holidays. For some, the holidays may be the only time in the year that they have any time to work on research. 5/18

Some may need to get a submission done for reasons of professional security. Some may just actually enjoy working in the quiet time of the holidays. And why not? 6/18

OK, so: We can’t reasonably ask authors not to submit during the holidays. We might ask: Why send papers out for review at this time? Surely everyone can just... wait? 7/18

First, journals get a lot of flack for long review periods, so editors (who often struggle to find available reviewers with the necessary expertise) are understandably anxious not to let submissions sit too long. 8/18

Editors deal with plenty of uncertainty about whether they will find reviewers able and willing to take on reviews, and if so, how long reviewers will take to write reviews. (This challenge was particularly acute in the pressures of 2019. But that's another thread.) 9/18

And authors become (equally understandably) anxious when review times stretch and stretch – because publications, for better or worse, are the currency of academia. So editors send out requests to review, even in holidays. Which... make reviewers anxious. 10/18

That’s a lot of anxiety, all around. And the breeding ground for more outraged tweets. 11/18

Second, editors are just as stretched as other academics. Working in the holidays to catch up (or get a head start) on journal work may be their only option. 12/18

Many journal editors don’t want to be working over the holidays either – but for them, too, it might be the only available time they have among other demands. 13/18

So what to do? Here's a suggestion: How about we try to put brakes on the anxiety and the outrage, for everyone, by acknowledging that academics fill in their work time in lots of different ways, by necessity or choice. 14/18

One person's work schedule is not another's – and absolutely no one expects it should be. So, if you receive an invitation to review, and it doesn’t suit you (because you are on holiday, or whatever), consider just... 15/18

... hitting the decline button (with or without a reason), instead of taking to Twitter to perform your indignation. It is an invitation, after all. 16/18

If you want to do it, but later – just ask for an extension. Most journals would be all too happy to give one. 17/18

In sum. For review requests, like everything else: Make the conversations sincere, kind, and empathetic ones. Between individuals. That’s how we make things better for everyone in a system that runs on anxiety. 18/18