Career: Balancing Work and Life Roundtable

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Overview

Striking a balance between work and life is a major challenge for many professional academics. Today’s academic typically faces a lengthy list of work-related tasks that interfere with research. Moreover, the professional culture of the academy often prioritizes productivity over mental health and personal wellbeing. The hypercompetitive environment surrounding job and funding opportunities frequently adds to the stress. For many, this results in bringing work home and working longer hours at night, over the weekend, and on holidays—to the detriment of one’s commitments and interests outside of work. Given these challenges, this roundtable aims to articulate some strategies for confronting and mitigating the stress that is increasingly associated with an academic career, while conserving the requisite energy for self-care and personal wellbeing.

Section

• Professional Development / Professional Development

Chair

• Liz Norell, Chattanooga State Community College

Participants

• Bobbi Gisele Gentry, Bridgewater College

• Timothy J. Schorn, University of South Dakota

• Professor La Della Lyn Levy, College of Southern Nevada

• Jaroslav Tir, University of Colorado Boulder

• Omololu Michael Fagbadebo, Durban University of Technology