Taking Stock after a Major Shift
Reflecting on my return to teaching a year after making the choice
My Substack dashboard helpfully reminded me that I wrote this post a year ago. As time often seems to me, being a year out from that decision seems both like it was yesterday and like it was a decade ago. I think there’s something about middle age and time passing that does this.
The past year has been full of a lot of big changes for me professionally. I ended up returning to teaching a bit earlier than I thought and began overseeing our MBA program. I’ve joined a faculty cohort focused on teaching style and begun dusting off my research and writing skills. And I’ve spent time reacclimating to not needing to be on Zoom all day some days. (All due respect Zoom, I don’t miss you!)
We’ve also had a pretty big year personally in our family and some of those changes and adjustments have meant the increased flexibility in when I do my work and how easy it is to schedule daytime appointments has been a huge benefit. Again, flexibility matters.
In this career shift, I’ve stayed at the same university where I’ve been employed since 2007, so I did not have to learn a new culture or meet all new people. But I did have to reassimilate into fully faculty human instead of faculty/administrator which is an adjustment for me and others!
Here are some other things I’ve taken note of in the last year about major shifts.
Big changes are big! Even the right shift will feel a little awkward or nerve-inducing at first. A shift within the same workplace like I made is still an adjustment! I’ve counseled so many students over the years that there’s very rarely a clear path that you must take, but rather lots of good paths you can take and thrive within. Picking a path is a big deal and returning to full-time teaching was a good but big change. I’ve had to give myself space to get used to that! If I’d stayed on the path of administration, I would also have made a good choice and required some time and space to get used to that!
Acclimating is not instant. Much like your heart rate needs to come down after a big effort exercising, my administrator energy/schedule/demands were very different from my faculty energy/schedule demands. I’ve gone from getting up, working out, and being online at 7, ready for meetings at 8 most days of the week to a slower start to the day with a lot more room to shift my work to match my energy, and more need to spend some time checking on students on Saturdays. Less of a constantly high energy schedule is great, but my brain and body took a bit to catch up with the new norm. A year later I feel much more like I’m there, but I still find myself drawing up detailed morning routines and schedules to stick to that served a better purpose in my old life than they do now!
Boundaries shift but still matter. My old life demanded a lot more energy on email, meetings, and quick responses on a standard schedule. I had to develop solid boundaries to sustain my work and honor my humanity. We tend to get hung up on the idea that a boundary set cannot shift which is not true. Healthy boundaries will sometimes flex and change and require reinvention. In my old life I rarely worked evenings or even checked email to give myself a disconnect. Now, I may meet with students at 7 p.m. but start my day later as a result. I may check on student emails quickly after dinner but I still hold my “Sunday disconnect” boundary firmly. I’m open to the idea that what I’m doing now may not be my forever approach, of course. In fact, I spend time reflecting on what works well/does not each term. I plan office hours and live sessions with students around my schedule each term, including how many courses I’m teaching, for example. I am experimenting still with what feels like the right work/life integration for me (and I think it’s wise to assume that experiment is one that lasts as long as we work!).
Other people’s opinions don’t always hold weight. The unsolicited opinions you will receive (often from people who barely know you) about career changes are fascinating. For some, it’s just an inability to understand why you’d step away from something you seem to be good at or they assume is your best path. For others, they can’t imagine making the choice for themselves that you did, etc. But I was determined not to let opinions, advice, and feedback impact the choice I was making this time last year and I think I did a good job of that. One caveat: of course seek and use the advice of people who know you well and deeply care for your next steps. Even still, the choices you make should be your own, but finding space to hear from those who can see you for you is helpful!
I find myself grateful a year later to have made the right choice for me. I’m enjoying spending more time with grad students and developing tools for their success. And on this super, super cold morning, quite glad I don’t have a commute!