Battling Burnout

[octoprof]

Are you feeling burned out? Burnout is a real problem for academicians. Sometimes it hits during the dissertation or right after. Sometimes after tenure. Sometimes in middle or late career.  Let's share our ways to battle burnout here.



Things I do or have done with some success:

• keep at least one hobby going that I spend some time on each month.
• make time to exercise regularly
• schedule time with family/friends regularly
• set aside a day or the whole weekend, whenever possible, to NOT work
• read non-academic things for pleasure
• minimize effort required to complete onerous tasks. For example, think through the amount of grading that will be required before settling on your assignment plan. Make decisions that are best for you when you can.

How have you or do you successfully battle burnout?

[polly_mer]

All of Octoprof's list is summarized on my Post-It as "Work cannot be your whole life.  Say no!"

The biggest single action for me is using the calendar and purposefully choosing what gets replaced for each new task.  Blocking off time for family, friends, hobbies, and just plain down time often means I will have to search for something to replace to take on a new task at work. 

Forcing myself to fit tasks into the designated work time when blocks of that are already standing appointments means I have to prioritize and say no to something.  Usually that something is a new task, but sometimes I have a realization that just because I've been a member of that committee for a couple years now doesn't mean I have to be a member forever and can let someone else have a turn.

[statsgeek]

Second everything on Octoprof's list. 

Setting aside regular, weekly time for volunteer work.  I work hard at my volunteer "job," but in a completely different way.  Those few hours a week keep me sane. 

[Cheerful]

• minimize effort required to complete onerous tasks. For example, think through the amount of grading that will be required before settling on your assignment plan. Make decisions that are best for you when you can.

Yes!

I try not to work on weekends.  When I do, I clear a day or two during the week.  Unlike some academics, I do not find joy in working seven days a week.

I change readings and assignments in my courses frequently. When I'm unbearably bored with a class activity or while reading student papers, it's time to change things up the next time I teach that course.

[pepsi_alum]

Agreed with all of the above, especially about not working on weekends. Another few things that help me:

1. Stick to working standard business hours (8-5) as much as possible. When I teach evening classes, I adjust my "work" schedule accordingly.

2. Try to enjoy at least one hour per day of non-work related media (ie, television, a movie, an audiobook, etc.). It helps me decompress.

[AvidReader]

The biggest single action for me is using the calendar and purposefully choosing what gets replaced for each new task.  Blocking off time for family, friends, hobbies, and just plain down time often means I will have to search for something to replace to take on a new task at work. 

I do this also. Value the time you have for non-work activities.

Also, when I decline an invitation, I don't specify why. If I turn down an invitation, I usually just say, "I'm so sorry. I can't make it" or "Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment." I might be unable to attend because I am teaching a class, or because I have dinner scheduled with a friend, or because I was planning to sit at home and read a book. These are all valid pre-existing commitments.

Also, when I rest, I avoid using devices that might bring more work. I close my email. I turn off notifications. If work time is a time to be responsive, rest time is a time to get distance and recharge.

AR.

[Vkw10]

I was near burn out at age 40, from taking on too much. I took a year's sabbatical, renting my house, living in another town, focusing on a couple of projects I'd been delaying until I had time, walking or swimming daily. I completely ignored my work and personal email accounts. I let my personal phone go to voicemail routinely, then ignored 99% of work-related messages. My first day back, I found the rumor mill had concocted a serious heart attack as the reason I'd gone silent during my sabbatical.

Now, I remind myself that the essential work would get done if I had a heart attack. It's an effective reminder to save time for all the non-work activities that make me healthy and happy.

[spork]

I was heading toward burn out in the form of mounting frustration. Luckily I recognized this and stopped investing the kind of emotional labor into my job that academics are often expected to invest. I say no a lot more, as in "no, I am not going to attend next week's evening event, because I finish teaching at noon that day and I refuse to get home at 9:00 pm after having left my house at 6:30 am."

[Secondhand_Rose]

It's so nice to see that the fora continue.  I haven't been here for a while but am thrilled to find you all. I'm here under a new name but have lurked and posted for many many years, under several different names.
What a useful thread.  Burnout is so real. How could we not feel deep anger and frustration at the defunding and poor management of academic institutions.  Institutions find millions to spend on consultants and administrators but then cannot "afford" to appropriately staff their programs, even highly performing ones.  This puts so much pressure on those of us who are charged with doing the work that the institution is there to perform:  ie, teaching, advising, and research/creative production.  This failure is the height of stupidity.  We are seeing now that conservative leaning states are trying to dismantle public higher ed. The only ways to combat the deep, deep anger for me about all of this involve lots of physical exercise, healthy diet, seriously limiting work hours, not going to every "conversation" about the state of fiscal emergency.  I have not found my institution's tumultuous work environment conductive to consistently building a scholarly or creative life, but maybe I can change my relationship to this turmoil by refusing to have a crisis mentality myself and setting very strong boundaries.

[Conjugate]

"Refusing to have a crisis mentality." Wonderful phrase.

The key to avoiding burnout does seem to be to take time off of the treadmill of work; fortunately, there is ample time for that this summer. But I am sorry to say that it is very wearying during the course of the semester, especially after only a short break for Christmas; the end of Spring can be brutal.

[octoprof]

The key to avoiding burnout does seem to be to take time off of the treadmill of work; fortunately, there is ample time for that this summer. But I am sorry to say that it is very wearying during the course of the semester, especially after only a short break for Christmas; the end of Spring can be brutal.

Yes. I think this is one of the many reasons so many of us get sick near or after the end of Spring semester.  It's so hard to pace ourselves through such a long period.

[paultuttle]

I take mental health days as often as possible.