Show notes
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 Introduction04:09 Burnout After Tenure and Initial Sabbatical Plans09:14 Navigating Doubts After Submitting and Expectations14:03 Post Tenure Pressure18:18 Slowing Down For Family24:19 A Different Sabbatical Vision30:14 Restoration Mindset Shift and Choosing Bordeaux France33:16 Returning Reenergized35:59 Identity Beyond Academia37:52 Boundaries and Saying No41:26 Essentialism and Finishing43:19 Hidden Curriculum Unlearning48:37 Support Systems and Guardrails52:09 Designing Your Sabbatical52:33 OutroRelated Links:Bethany’s Michigan State Uni webpageBethany Wilinski Sabbatical CoachingBethany on LinkedIn[Book] Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Crown Currency 2014.
