Changing Academic Life Bethany Wilinski (Part 1) on sabbatical, burnout and choosing rest (CAL140, S8E5)
Bethany Wilinski is an associate professor of teacher education at Michigan State University and a sabbatical coach. In Part 1 of our conversation, she describes her own sabbatical experience. She talks about how earning tenure in 2022 after the pandemic, young children, and family losses left her burned out and questioning her work’s impact. Initially she planned an “expected” research sabbatical in Tanzania and applied for a competitive yearlong Fulbright, but soon felt unease about starting a major new project and disrupting family life. After seeing a colleague’s Florence sabbatical report, she reframed sabbatical as restoration and family reconnection, chose Bordeaux France for one semester, and returned reenergized and eager to reengage without resuming frenetic pace. She discusses shifting identity beyond career, setting boundaries, pausing before saying yes, focusing on finishing work, and unlearning academia’s hidden curriculum of constant striving.
00:29 Introduction
04:09 Burnout After Tenure and Initial Sabbatical Plans
09:14 Navigating Doubts After Submitting and Expectations
14:03 Post Tenure Pressure
18:18 Slowing Down For Family
24:19 A Different Sabbatical Vision
30:14 Restoration Mindset Shift and Choosing Bordeaux France
33:16 Returning Reenergized
35:59 Identity Beyond Academia
37:52 Boundaries and Saying No
41:26 Essentialism and Finishing
43:19 Hidden Curriculum Unlearning
48:37 Support Systems and Guardrails
52:09 Designing Your Sabbatical
52:33 Outro
Related Links:
Bethany’s Michigan State Uni webpage
Bethany Wilinski Sabbatical Coaching
[Book] Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Crown Currency 2014.