How do academics move from burnout to a sustainable career?
Step 1: Define your identity and your vision.
Many academics are burning out because they’re trying to do everything. In my last post, I talked about the identity crisis that often sits underneath this burnout. I’ve seen it in colleagues and I’ve lived it myself. It’s incredibly easy to become so focused on institutional expectations or the demands of the funding system that we drift away from the work that energises us and we lose who we are along the way.
During a recent session with early career researchers, I emphasised something I wish I’d learned much earlier: you need a career plan.
For the first 12 years of my career, I didn’t have one. I said yes to almost every opportunity, assuming that more activity meant more progress and a greater chance of success. Then, while writing a fellowship application, my Head of Division asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks:
“How does this fellowship fit into your career plan?”
After my initial thought of “It means I’ll have a job!”, I realised I had no real answer. That moment forced me to step back and look at everything I was doing: the projects, the collaborations, the conferences, the teaching, the service roles. Some of it aligned with who I wanted to be as a researcher/academic. Some of it didn’t.
That reflection changed everything. I became clearer about my research/academic identity, and suddenly the decisions about what to say “yes” to and what to decline became much easier. I stopped feeling pulled in multiple directions. I knew what I stood for and where I was heading.
Here’s what came as a surprise: once I had clarity, opportunities increased. People knew what I brought to the table. I also created opportunities because I understood the value I offered. My career plan evolved over time, but the underlying principles stayed the same.
As a leader, I’ve watched many academics chase positions, promotions, or grants without a clear sense of identity. But when we apply for anything in academia, we’re essentially asking others to invest in us and people can only invest confidently when they understand who we are (in other words, what they are getting for their investment). With a clear identity, we are also in a much better position to know how to invest in ourselves.
Step 1 in building a sustainable academic career and reducing the risk of burnout is defining your identity and your 3–5 year vision. Use that identity and vision as your filter. Let them guide what you take on, and just as importantly, what you don’t.