Career and life coaching for academics
I'm just starting my 2nd year-long sabbatical. A privilege, I know, only afforded those with tenure-track/tenured positions and a decent employment contract. My 1st sabbatical didn't really go as planned (I guess we all know what happens to best laid plans). But I did learn a few things and get some good advice that I'd… Continue reading A restful and productive sabbatical
For the first time in over two years, I'm flying to attend conferences, book fairs, and seminars. My carry-on items will include my e-reader, noise-cancelling headphones, and an in-flight version of a snuggie. They will not include anything to do with work. I'll be re-instituting a rule I made for myself several years ago: no… Continue reading Why I don’t work on airplanes
This is a question I ask myself when I notice my brain rehearsing a lecture while I’m lying in bed at night. Or when I’m composing an email in the shower. Or scheduling tasks on the treadmill. In other words, when my brain is in work mode but my body is—or should be—doing something else.… Continue reading Why are you working right now?
One of the supposed perks of academic work is the flexibility to set your own schedule. With regular breaks from teaching built into the academic calendar, it should be easy for scholars to take time off, relax, and recharge. Unfortunately, this very flexibility often translates into a lack of boundaries and an inability to truly… Continue reading How to take time off