Aug 6Liked by Dominic Packer & Jay Van Bavel, Todd Kashdan
Very nice read, very timely, and good advice. I generally do try to not do too many superfluous things, but you've got this coming in just as I got a review request and I'm considering looking back over one of my syllabi to see if I've included too much busywork...thank you!
Thanks. I suspect you might be around my number of years in the biz and might feel the same.
I should have added that to my list of 10% retirement - I am so much leaner with my syllabi now. To avoid being a hypocrite, I don't want my students reading or doing things without a really good reason. Claiming thats what you are supposed to know is not a good reason.
Hit me up for some workout routines. we need you around for the next 17 years….too little social courage in the academy. You are an exception. Respect.
Aug 7Liked by Todd Kashdan, Dominic Packer & Jay Van Bavel
Thought provoking read and quiz by Tessa. Unsurprising right now I scored all over the place - stretched too thin, runner-up, and underappreciated star.
Aug 6Liked by Dominic Packer & Jay Van Bavel, Todd Kashdan
Thank you both for this piece. I made a similar decision 8 years ago but I failed to commit for many years. But 3 years ago I revisited it and this time I made it happen. I’m still struggling at times with saying no or uncommitting to the trivial but I’m much better at it. It’s really worth doing this sort of reflection from time to time to make wiser decisions about the way we work. Thanks again!
So it took you first years to pull the cord? Are you happier now? I know the shift is a really an issue of letting go of an important identity for some people, which can make it extra hard.
Aug 6Liked by Dominic Packer & Jay Van Bavel, Todd Kashdan
First 3 years were tough. I still published, still say yes to unnecessary book chapters, still attended conferences etc, while doing full-time consultancy in industry and practicing as a therapist. But I’m freed now. I still teach from time to time but I managed to leave the other stuff behind, which I wasn’t enjoying anymore anyway. You’re right, it’s like an identity. I’m a happier person but I’m not sure if the cause was leaving academia. It might just be a correlation :)
Selda, you are my role model. This is why Iove this concept by Jay and Dominic - we treat our job/career/calling as if its static and our identity is static. But our interests change. Our value priorities change. And I don't think enough is said about how to acknowledge and address this.
I'm excited for you. I'm curious if there is anything you plugged into that slot that brings more vitality?
Aug 6Liked by Dominic Packer & Jay Van Bavel, Todd Kashdan
Thanks, Todd. I’m happy that I get to see more clients in my therapy practice, run workshops, and coach leaders (so they don’t suck being a leader). Plus my Substack.
Thank you for starting this lovely conversation and introducing me to a new Substack-The Power of Us. Just subscribed!
Aug 6Liked by Todd Kashdan, Dominic Packer & Jay Van Bavel
Greg McKeown's book Essentialism has been a big a help to me in setting minimum and ideal criteria for things I take on. I've also been using ICE prioritization to make my task list less burdensome.
Linda, never hear of this before. I love the simplicity - which fits with this cultural niche of minimalism from McKewon, Cal Newport, Fumio Sasaki, and of course, Marie Kondo.
Look forward to playing with this ICE approach. Thanks!
The low significance writing really resonates with me. A few years ago I withdrew from a tenure- track position because, year after year, I was asked to publish and was not able to meet the standard of doing so every year. I challenged the tenure guidelines to no avail and refused to publish for sake of publishing. The constant pressure and corrective feedback at my annual reviews became exhausting. Even after showing my efforts at gathering data for my research, which was projected to take a few years, I was told to publish articles in local magazines and break up my dissertation into publishable segments. I totally understand this makes sense sometimes but in my case, it was ridiculous. I really appreciate your points!
Good point. And many of those asks to help the community are not taken into consideration for job reflated rewards. Hal’s notion of honoring the future self is excellent advice indeed
Very nice read, very timely, and good advice. I generally do try to not do too many superfluous things, but you've got this coming in just as I got a review request and I'm considering looking back over one of my syllabi to see if I've included too much busywork...thank you!
Thanks. I suspect you might be around my number of years in the biz and might feel the same.
I should have added that to my list of 10% retirement - I am so much leaner with my syllabi now. To avoid being a hypocrite, I don't want my students reading or doing things without a really good reason. Claiming thats what you are supposed to know is not a good reason.
Yep, fully agreed. Why make work none of us want for no good reason.
Been teaching (initially as a grad student) since 1997. Counting down the years to retirement at this point (17 if I make it to 70!)
Hit me up for some workout routines. we need you around for the next 17 years….too little social courage in the academy. You are an exception. Respect.
Hah. I think I’m good on workouts. In pretty decent shape for my age (just got done with a jog in fact).
So good! Burnout epidemy is not "not real".
Love a juicy double negative that makes me pause
Thought provoking read and quiz by Tessa. Unsurprising right now I scored all over the place - stretched too thin, runner-up, and underappreciated star.
Definitely the latter.
Thank you both for this piece. I made a similar decision 8 years ago but I failed to commit for many years. But 3 years ago I revisited it and this time I made it happen. I’m still struggling at times with saying no or uncommitting to the trivial but I’m much better at it. It’s really worth doing this sort of reflection from time to time to make wiser decisions about the way we work. Thanks again!
BRAVO to you! What have you retired from?
Full-time academia đŸ˜‡. But 15 years was enough to make it difficult to let it go in the first 5 years after I made the decision.
So it took you first years to pull the cord? Are you happier now? I know the shift is a really an issue of letting go of an important identity for some people, which can make it extra hard.
First 3 years were tough. I still published, still say yes to unnecessary book chapters, still attended conferences etc, while doing full-time consultancy in industry and practicing as a therapist. But I’m freed now. I still teach from time to time but I managed to leave the other stuff behind, which I wasn’t enjoying anymore anyway. You’re right, it’s like an identity. I’m a happier person but I’m not sure if the cause was leaving academia. It might just be a correlation :)
Selda, you are my role model. This is why Iove this concept by Jay and Dominic - we treat our job/career/calling as if its static and our identity is static. But our interests change. Our value priorities change. And I don't think enough is said about how to acknowledge and address this.
I'm excited for you. I'm curious if there is anything you plugged into that slot that brings more vitality?
Thanks, Todd. I’m happy that I get to see more clients in my therapy practice, run workshops, and coach leaders (so they don’t suck being a leader). Plus my Substack.
Thank you for starting this lovely conversation and introducing me to a new Substack-The Power of Us. Just subscribed!
Greg McKeown's book Essentialism has been a big a help to me in setting minimum and ideal criteria for things I take on. I've also been using ICE prioritization to make my task list less burdensome.
What is ICE Prioritization?
Impact, Confidence & Ease - https://itamargilad.com/ice-scores/
Linda, never hear of this before. I love the simplicity - which fits with this cultural niche of minimalism from McKewon, Cal Newport, Fumio Sasaki, and of course, Marie Kondo.
Look forward to playing with this ICE approach. Thanks!
The low significance writing really resonates with me. A few years ago I withdrew from a tenure- track position because, year after year, I was asked to publish and was not able to meet the standard of doing so every year. I challenged the tenure guidelines to no avail and refused to publish for sake of publishing. The constant pressure and corrective feedback at my annual reviews became exhausting. Even after showing my efforts at gathering data for my research, which was projected to take a few years, I was told to publish articles in local magazines and break up my dissertation into publishable segments. I totally understand this makes sense sometimes but in my case, it was ridiculous. I really appreciate your points!
Publishing for the sake of publishing. Submitting grants for the sake of getting money. I’m so with you. Good for you.
Good point. And many of those asks to help the community are not taken into consideration for job reflated rewards. Hal’s notion of honoring the future self is excellent advice indeed