A Professor’s Framework for Meaningful, Joyful, and Sustainable Work – Faculty Focus

One of the unexpected gifts of the pandemic was the clarity it brought. We need to care for ourselves in more substantial and intentional ways if we want to show up fully in the world. For me, that realization sometimes came uncomfortably, as I reflected on just how often I was drained and exhausted.  While I supported students through a first-year seminar course called Becoming More Resilient, designed to help students navigate the challenges of the pandemic with a little more ease, I realized I hadn’t yet found a similar framework that resonated with me. 

After moving through some challenging seasons of blurred boundaries and little time to focus on my priorities, I found myself drawn to the idea of some kind of daily rhythm that could support my well-being in a more intentional way. Over time, a simple framework began to take shape. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gently reminds me of what helps me feel more whole, more present, and more grounded in my life and work. 

When I integrate this structure into my life, I’m not just more productive, I show up more fully for my students, my colleagues, and myself. What follows is the framework I’ve come to rely on: five key pillars of care and support that help me stay grounded and energized. 

Emotional Resilience: Boundaries, Self-Compassion, and Self-Awareness

Emotional resilience isn’t about pushing through and bouncing back. For me, it’s about learning how to pause and listen to what I need. I’ve started using a simple journaling practice to reflect on my emotional highs and lows each week, which helps me notice patterns I might otherwise miss. I’ve also learned to be more deliberate with boundaries. I keep email and letter templates for common situations that tend to drain me, and I am generous with my office/student hours, which then allows me to close my door at other times during the week without guilt. When things feel especially hard, I’ve come to rely on a few quiet moments of self-compassion, reminding myself that doing enough is different from doing everything. I have sticky notes of mantras that I shared with students during the pandemic that I appreciate now, like “progress over perfection” and “I am enough.” While I don’t practice these as consistently as I would like, when I do, they’ve helped me show up with less stress and more grace. 

How to Get Started:

Practice simple, kind ways to say no like: “It sounds like a wonderful opportunity but I’m at full capacity.” 

Physical Well-being: Movement, Nutrition, Sleep

Physical wellbeing was the first thing I let slide when work became overwhelming, but I’ve slowly started to shift that pattern. I’ve learned that even small amounts of movement, like a walk on campus–bonus points for connecting with a colleague while walking–or even standing for online meetings, can reset my energy. I’ve also begun paying more attention to how I nourish myself during the day. I embraced intermittent fasting and rarely ate until 2 pm. This regular practice has many benefits, but it likely spiked my cortisol levels. Now I keep fruit, nuts, and simple salads on hand and a thermos of hot water for tea. And I’m finally protecting my sleep with a bit more intention: shutting down my screens earlier, winding down with a book, and starting my day in the early morning sun to reset my circadian rhythm. I don’t do it perfectly, but when I take care of my body, everything else feels more manageable. 

How to Get Started:

Plan and pack some healthy foods to keep you fueled throughout your day. Limit the vending machine to emergencies.  

Stress-Relief: Meditation, Rejuvenation, Relaxation

Finding ways to truly relieve stress—rather than just powering through it—has become one of the most important parts of my routine. My partner and I start our day with a morning meditation. This sacred time seems to create more space in my brain for the day ahead. I’ve also started building in short moments of stillness throughout the day, even if it’s just a few deep breaths. These tiny pauses help me reset, especially when the day starts to feel like a blur. I add some rejuvenating activities on my calendar: walking with my son, working in the garden, rolling out my Yoga mat. All are free and simple. Relaxation doesn’t always mean doing nothing; sometimes it’s music, journaling, or simply giving myself permission to stop working before I’m completely depleted. These small choices remind me that I’m allowed to move through my day with more ease. 

How to Get Started:

Add a three-minute reset to your morning. Set the timer for three minutes, close your eyes and simply breath, allowing all thoughts to float by like clouds. 

Meaningful Living: Joy, Connection, Creativity

I’ve come to realize that for me, meaningful living means making space for the things that fuel me—joy, creativity, and connection. It’s easy to let these fall to the bottom of the list when deadlines pile up, but when I protect them, everything else feels more doable. I carve out small pockets of time to do something creative and joyful like cooking something new, writing for myself, going to a farmers’ market or exploring a new bookstore or town. I try to stay connected to the people who matter, even if it’s just a quick check-in or a shared laugh. I also notice that I enjoy the time that I spend with my students when I am not overwhelmed with other aspects of my job. The classroom can be a joyful, connected space filled with creativity when we allow ourselves to be fully present and engaged. These moments remind me that life is about way more than productivity. These experiences bring me back to what I value. 

How to Get Started:

Chart your best moment of the day in a journal. Soon you will have 365 best moments! I love this practice because even the worst days have a best moment. 

Time and Energy Protection: Prioritize, Say No with Kindness, Focus

Saying no with kindness has been a practice, one that allows me to be more intentional about where my energy goes. I have many passions so saying no sometimes feels like a missed opportunity. The more I am aligned with my priorities and core values, the more I can empower myself to decline offers. I started a new practice in which I named one focus for the day. For example, I may be teaching a class on Wednesday, but my main focus is to revise an article, grade papers, or attend a complex committee meeting on that day. I give myself a high five for completing the focus and give myself grace if some loose ends remain from the day. One area where I need work is guarding space for creative work, the kind that needs unhurried thinking and a little room to breathe. It’s not always easy, but I recently had an epiphany about how focusing on what matters and saying no to all the rest allows me to bring my best self to my work. 

How to Get Started:

Name your focus of the day. Prepare to tackle just that one thing well. Give yourself grace for whatever remains unfinished.  

These practices didn’t come to me all at once; they’ve taken shape slowly, over time, through trial and error, losses and wins. What I’ve found is that caring for myself in these intentional ways isn’t separate from my work as a professor, it’s what makes the work sustainable, meaningful, and even joyful. By tending to the five pillars of the framework, I’ve created a rhythm that helps me show up more fully, celebrating small wins along the way.  It’s not a perfect system, but the structure that it provides makes my life better. And in this season of my life and career, that feels like enough. 

Julie Sochacki is a clinical associate professor who has worn several hats at her university over the past few years including interim director of the university’s teaching center, associate dean of student academic services, and most recently, writing director. Check out her Substack with colleague, Patrick Allen: The Inspired Teaching Podcast.