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Work/Life (Im)Balance

By Carolyn Dever May 13, 2021

Conceding that work/life balance is a myth, Carolyn Dever offers help for those academics struggling to manage the chaos of work/life imbalance.

Transcript:

Academic labor has poor boundaries at the best of times. In pandemic times
it has no boundaries. If you are trying to work from home. If you’re trying to supervise the education of your kids, or take care of loved ones who are vulnerable. If you’re trying to stay sane. If you’re trying to stay well, then you already know there is no such thing as work-life balance.

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Conceding that work/life balance is a myth, Carolyn Dever offers help for those academics struggling to manage the chaos of work/life imbalance.

Transcript:

Academic labor has poor boundaries at the best of times. In pandemic times
it has no boundaries. If you are trying to work from home. If you’re trying to supervise the education of your kids, or take care of loved ones who are vulnerable. If you’re trying to stay sane. If you’re trying to stay well, then you already know there is no such thing as work-life balance.

So let’s call it by its proper name, work-life imbalance. And what are we
going to do about it? Well, here are three hot tips from my chaotic mess of a life to yours.

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1. Write a to do list every day and add to it any routine tasks you encounter. Give yourself credit by crossing off every single thing that you do.
Because hey, it’s not nothing to put on your shoes these days is it?

2. When feelings of guilt and anxiety emerge say, hey, and then let them go.

3. You are enough, and you are doing your best every day—and that is fabulous.

Video provided by Dever Justice LLC.

Learn more about The Chronicle’s Strategic-Leadership Program for Department Chairs

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this report. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
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Headshot of Carolyn Dever
About the Author
Carolyn Dever
Carolyn Dever is a professor of English and creative writing at Dartmouth College and formerly its provost. She is a founder of Dever Justice LLC, a consulting firm supporting faculty leadership development.
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