I love working in higher education. It is a privilege to work for the greater good with people I respect and admire. My work gives me joy, energy, and a great deal of satisfaction. I’ve also seen higher education be a highly challenging place to work. Higher education inherently values “performance and delivery” as part of its culture, e.g. getting that big grant, working through the weekends, earning that award, and so on. This value can leave us with a feeling of stress that never ends because we may feel our work is never good enough and because we always have more to do.

By now, we know the outcome of Tuesday’s elections (hopefully), and have lived through another cycle of campaigns, yard signs, TV commercials, the 30-second radio spots, and social media posts. I’ve found myself asking, “When will it all be over?” Given my role in the Division of Student Life, I’ve spent years helping registered student organizations plan political candidate or elected official visits. That is always non-partisan, hard work and never seems too political. Ironic, I know. It’s more about where the stage goes, when the candidate will arrive, the expected crowd size related to fire safety capacity, what door is designated as an emergency exit, or if candidates travel with security. While the political or electoral world is spiraling, I find it helpful to intentionally not focus on those topics. Instead, I turn my focus to what brings me joy.

I’m tired, not “burned out” – I love my work, my family, and friends. I engage in activities that help me feel good. As I’ve reflected on what might be contributing to my fatigue, I’m reminded of two periods in my life.