A while ago, I came across Wintering and it changed the way I think about rest. It’s a concept that nature seems to embrace effortlessly—trees shed their leaves without apology, the earth lies fallow without justification. So why can’t we, as academics, do the same?
Let’s face it: academia has normalized the humblebrag about being busy. Posts about "another conference, another paper, another milestone!" flood our feeds, often accompanied by stories of 3 a.m. writing marathons. But what are we actually celebrating? The triumph of hyper-productivity over sanity?
Recently, I’ve started taking deliberate pauses for rest—something that feels weirdly rebellious in our field. I’ve embraced a rhythm of work and rest. Not because I have to, but because I need to. Over the past few weeks, I’ve stopped, paused, and reflected. And it’s been transformative.
I’m sharing this openly because I believe it’s time we normalize rest in academia. Taking breaks isn’t a weakness; it’s wisdom. Let’s celebrate the deliberate pauses where we stop, reflect, and reset. Let’s make humility cool again—the kind of humility that admits we’re human and honors the need for rest.
Nature knows what it’s doing. Maybe it’s time we learn, too.
hashtag#Wintering hashtag#RestAndReflection hashtag#HumilityInAcademia hashtag#AcademicLife
Let’s face it: academia has normalized the humblebrag about being busy. Posts about "another conference, another paper, another milestone!" flood our feeds, often accompanied by stories of 3 a.m. writing marathons. But what are we actually celebrating? The triumph of hyper-productivity over sanity?
Recently, I’ve started taking deliberate pauses for rest—something that feels weirdly rebellious in our field. I’ve embraced a rhythm of work and rest. Not because I have to, but because I need to. Over the past few weeks, I’ve stopped, paused, and reflected. And it’s been transformative.
I’m sharing this openly because I believe it’s time we normalize rest in academia. Taking breaks isn’t a weakness; it’s wisdom. Let’s celebrate the deliberate pauses where we stop, reflect, and reset. Let’s make humility cool again—the kind of humility that admits we’re human and honors the need for rest.
Nature knows what it’s doing. Maybe it’s time we learn, too.
hashtag#Wintering hashtag#RestAndReflection hashtag#HumilityInAcademia hashtag#AcademicLife
