The Importance of Rest for Academic Renewal
I’m not a big believer in resolutions for many reasons – and you can find plenty of support for or against them online from people with more cohesive thoughts than me! But I am a big believer in setting goals and intentions regardless of the season. Doing that well requires some space to think and reflect!
This fall, I took my annual 8-week teaching leave. As an adjunct starting in 2010, I taught nearly every term (in addition to working very full time in administration). When I started teaching full time in 2017, I took my annual break from teaching each fall. But I find it hard to remember as most things pre-2020 are starting to seem to be! Starting in 2020, I began an intense period as an academic administrator. Though I took a break from teaching each fall and did my best to hold to good boundaries about off hours, I was never disconnected like I’ve had the great blessing to be this term.
During the last several years, I faced a global pandemic like everyone else. And I’m certainly not alone in facing other challenges along side that immense difficulty. I lost my mother in 2021. While my university was more than gracious and kind in time off and flexibility for bereavement, anyone who has faced such a loss knows the grief doesn’t end. And it certainly doesn’t set itself aside for your return to work.
I’m pretty self-aware and was very clear in my own mind that I needed some time to rest and maybe to readjust more fully to full-time faculty life. But on some level I think I had no idea how much I needed this! Here are a few things I learned (re-learned?) during my fall 2/Christmas break this year.
Lesson 1: Time to Think
This past term of being mostly disconnected has given me a lot of space to think, to focus my next steps on research I’d like to scrap/continue/develop, and to consider newer ideas for classes and a resource hub I want to finalize for MBA students.
Those things all happen to also benefit my university – so lesson one is time and space to think may lead to a more creative, productive professor!
Lesson 2: Rest Matters
I knew this obviously and I try to live it regularly. For many years now, I’ve fully disconnected from work on Sundays to give myself time away from email and the LMS. This was inspired by a favorite professor who I was fortunate enough to support as research assistant during my Ph.D. I knew how busy she was and could not shake the “if she could do it, what am I whining about” in my head. I’ve not been perfect at it but I’ve been consistent about it and it matters.
Rest matters on this smaller scale of weekly consistency, but also on a bigger scale. This fall 2 break reminded me of that bigger scale rest that’s necessary and so beneficial. I managed a lot of physical rest (especially helpful when I was sick for a month!). I also managed intentional, restful time with my family (especially helpful as we grieved our senior dog passing). And I managed some naps as we welcomed a new puppy and lost some rest!
Lesson 3: Renewal Needs Space
I happen to love teaching and love my university. And I’m a person fueled and renewed by my sense of meaningful work and getting to be a part of it. That’s all fantastic, but that does not mean that I have no hard days, never get pummeled by a student email, or never feel exhausted with my responsibilities.
Having such a large, intentional time to focus on some of my own stuff and reflect on my next goals with work means that as we start this new year I am feeling energized and excited!
I am facing this first Monday of the new year less with “Sunday Scaries Energy” and more with a sense of gratitude for time away and excitement for a new term.
I’m old enough – and I hope wise enough – to know this will ebb and flow. I won’t spend all of the spring 1 term delighted with all the things. But I am no doubt better equipped to face the next semesters thanks to this time away.
Not all jobs include the option of an 8-week break like this, I know. But where you can find your space for intentional, purposeful rest, you will find benefit. Even on the smallest scale, it’s worth it!