Many scientists are workaholics. The pressure to publish combined with teaching and administrative duties leaves little time for leisure. And for many scientists, just when free time has reached a vanishing point, children arrive. We asked several autism researchers how they managed to mix family and fun with science into their days — and received some clever recipes.

Some say work-life boundaries in their overfull lives are impediments. They stifle the passion that should flow throughout the daylight hours, and that ideally drives scientific discovery. Sports of various sorts make it onto some calendars, with the idea that making time for what you love will bring the greatest joy. Optimism and the long view get others through the day. If you can’t get to it today, perhaps the next decade will do.