Towards achieving work-life balance in academia

Comments and personal essays from six applied linguists

Tove Larsson | Uppsala University | Northern Arizona University

Shawn Loewen | Michigan State University

Rhonda Oliver | Curtin University

Miyuki Sasaki | Waseda University

Nicole Tracy-Ventura | West Virginia University

Luke Plonsky | Northern Arizona University

The competing demands of teaching, research, and service seem to never end. Consequently, as academics, we often find ourselves feeling unable to realize our professional goals while also maintaining a life outside of work. Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all way to achieve or approximate work-life balance, this chapter presents essays on this topic by five applied linguists with a range of backgrounds. Each is personal and introspective, providing concrete guidance on what they have found to be true and helpful in an effort to achieve satisfaction in their professional as well as personal lives. The chapter also includes an introduction that brings together five of the main themes found throughout of the chapter.

Published online: 30 July 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.229.05lar

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