Three ideas for how academics can spend the summer

The Jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be … because of all I may become, I will close my eyes and Leap! ~ Mary Anne Radmacher, writer, and artist.

Academics, just like everyone else, need to take some time over the summer to discover what is calling for attention now. At the end of the first two semesters post-Covid lockdowns, we are all tired, and the first thing on most of our minds is a deep, deep sigh of relief with the beginning of some relaxation time. After you take some time to relax, you might find yourself saying, “Now what?” Below are three ideas for taking some reflection and discovery time for yourself over the summer.

What is calling you now?

I am not advocating for just pushing yourself to finish the writing that did not get done during the semester or spend time writing grant proposals. I know this is what is normally recommended. That is not what I am advocating. Instead, I am suggesting you take some deliberate quiet time to see and hear what is truly calling you.

Do you need to rediscover your voice? Or maybe even find a non-academic voice, for the first time exploring how to write a book for popular audiences? Perhaps you want to take your research in a completely new direction. Perhaps (as often happens to me) you find yourself writing on a topic only to find something completely unexpected is emerging. Or do you want to think about what you want to change over the summer in the way of personal care and figure out how to stick to it when the fall semester rolls around?

Don’t be afraid to try something new!

For myself, I plan to attend a silent retreat for one weekend. Quieting down the critical voices getting in the way of being my best self and doing my best work has been good for me in the past. I know not everyone can afford the luxury of even this small amount of time away, given familial and financial obligations with partners or children. I also know it is not a method appealing to everyone. That’s OK. Some other ideas will appeal to you.

What is calling me now and what am I becoming is an issue I am struggling with in my life now. In my early twenties, I struggled with justifying the expense of college, and after two years, I left college to work full-time. I spent time exploring what really interested me, and eventually, it became clear I needed to return to college at a different school with a different cohort. It was a relief to discover a new place with new people completely transformed the college experience for me.

In my thirties, I was clear about having and raising children. In my forties, after losing my husband in a car wreck, I struggled with whether I needed a career versus a job to keep raising my two girls on my own. In my early fifties, as the girls began to fledge and head into their own independent lives, it became clear I needed to let go of the security of working for someone else, hard though that was. The coaching practice that evolved has been truly joyful for me. Now I am in my sixties, and everyone is telling me I should think about retiring. That’s not happening. It’s clear I am not ready for that. So I am asking again, “What is inspiring me now?”

Many of my dreams became reality over the years. I started by noticing the possibilities, then committed to my choices with concrete actions. I wanted to marry again, and after several false starts on the dating front, I am happily married to the right man. As my practice grew, I wanted to help my clients (and others) with the struggles I saw happening in their lives by writing. This developed into several books with my co-author, Mary Beth Averill. It’s not clear whether I should write another book or do something different. I do know I will spend part of the summer exploring and reflecting.

As I write this, I am wondering if another way to say, “What is emerging for you now?” is “What are you becoming?” That certainly opens up a lot of new possibilities. Another way to phrase it may be, “What is calling for your attention now?” That seems to be a bit more manageable.

Below are three simple ideas for how academics can spend the summer.

In deciding how to spend the summer, you should pick and choose what works for you.

1)     Journaling

This is an ever-popular method of reflection for writers. Julia Cameron’s classic book The Artist’s Way recommends three pages of free writing every day to generate ideas. Not everyone uses journaling this way. Some writers use journaling to process past events; some use it to look to the future, and some doodle or draw to see what emerges. For myself, I find writing sometimes brings up my own intuition about people or possible projects and helps me trust in what I should do next. For more about using intuition, see: https://www.transitioningyourlife.com/do-you-trust-your-intuition/

2)     Vision boards

A great visual method for academics to answer the question “What do I want?” or “What is calling me now” is to create a vision board. Traditionally, vision boards involved cutting pictures and words out of a magazine and pasting them onto a poster board. Now many people create a Word document and pick pictures off the web. Some people include tactile elements, perhaps attaching a real pen to represent writing. If you decide to make a vision board on the computer, it’s best to print it out and place it somewhere you will see it regularly. Seeing what draws you is an important part of creating a vision board. If you find yourself picking photos of hiking rather than writing, your brain may be telling you it’s time for a break or to get some distance from an intellectual project.

3)     Experiment

As the old saw goes, “Habit is good servant and bad master.” Try new things. Meet new people. Eat different food. If it appeals, try a silent retreat. Learn pickle ball and join a team to explore some physically different activities and create a different community outside academia. Notice how even small changes shift your brain’s perspective. Find a writer’s group that meets up regularly, whether once a week or once a month, and see what participating in that feels like. There are all kinds of groups, from “Shut Up and Write” to faculty writing support groups. Remind yourself you don’t have to keep doing anything that doesn’t work for you.

Wrapping this up, I would be remiss not to mention determining what is emerging for you is an ongoing process. If you stay open to change, I believe you are not done with learning, renewing, exploring, and discovering until you die. What an exciting thought! It means I’ve got a lot more time to figure out what to do next.

If you are still struggling with your life and career, contact Hillary for a free 20-minute session.

Tags: academia, attitude, becoming yourself, change, confidence, happiness, vision, work habits