When you first imagined your academic career, you may have pictured the mid-career stage as a time of ease. Tenure would be behind you, the pressure of constant evaluation would lessen, and you would finally have the freedom to pursue the work you love.
For many faculty, the reality looks very different. Instead of freedom, there is exhaustion. Instead of clarity, there is uncertainty. Instead of momentum, there is a sense of being stuck.
Mid-career is often described as one of the most difficult stages of academic life, not because the work becomes harder, but because the sense of purpose can fade. What once felt urgent and clear is now diffuse, buried under layers of obligation.
Recognizing these challenges is the first step. Read on to explore the emotional landscape of mid-career, why so many faculty find themselves struggling at this stage, and how small but intentional shifts can create the conditions for renewal.
The Emotional Landscape of Mid-Career
For many faculty, the mid-career stage brings a complicated mix of pride and frustration. You may feel established in your field, yet also weighed down in ways you never expected. Common experiences include:
- Burnout: Years of teaching, advising, committee work, and administrative service can build to a point where exhaustion feels constant. The energy that once fueled your scholarship and creativity now feels scattered across obligations that seem never-ending.
- Loss of direction: The tenure track provided clear benchmarks to aim for, but once those milestones are behind you, the question of “what now?” can feel uncomfortably open. Without new goals, it is easy to drift or to feel like your work is no longer moving forward.
- Disconnection from purpose: The excitement that first drew you into academia — curiosity, a desire to make an impact, the joy of discovery — can get buried under layers of meetings, reports, and responsibilities. Days blur together, and the work that once felt meaningful can begin to feel transactional.
- Isolation: As you move deeper into mid-career, demands often crowd out the time you once had for collaboration and connection. Mentoring relationships may feel less available, and opportunities to share struggles with peers may be rare. The result can be a profound sense of going it alone.
These experiences are not unusual. In fact, they are remarkably common. Yet because they are rarely discussed openly, many faculty wonder if they are the only ones feeling this way. Naming these challenges is the first step toward reimagining what mid-career can be.
The Turning Point of Renewal
The good news is that mid-career does not have to remain a stage of burnout or disconnection. It can also become a turning point: a moment to step back, reassess, and chart a course that feels authentic and energizing.
The process of renewal often begins with a few simple but powerful shifts:
1. Reconnecting With Values
Ask yourself: What parts of my work bring me energy? Which leave me drained? What drew me into this field in the first place? Realignment begins by rediscovering the values that matter most and giving them priority again.
2. Setting Boundaries
Many mid-career faculty find themselves overwhelmed by service and administrative tasks. Learning to say “no” strategically, or to delegate where possible, is essential to protecting time and energy for what matters most.
3. Rediscovering Joy in Scholarship
Research and writing often get pushed aside during the busiest years. Making intentional space for creative work, whether through daily writing, collaborative projects, or new areas of exploration, can reignite a sense of excitement.
4. Building Supportive Networks
Renewal rarely happens in isolation. Having colleagues, mentors, or accountability partners who understand your goals can provide encouragement, perspective, and practical strategies.
What Renewal Can Look Like
When faculty commit to this kind of reflection and recalibration, the results can be transformative. Some find themselves excited to write again after years of avoidance. Others discover that by setting boundaries around service, they create space to pursue meaningful projects. Still others choose to explore new leadership opportunities or collaborations that expand their sense of impact.
The specifics vary, but the common thread is the same: renewal comes from intentionally aligning your work with your values, your strengths, and your vision for the future.
Creating Space for Reflection
The biggest challenge is often finding the time and structure to do this kind of reflection. In the rush of daily obligations, it is easy to keep moving without pausing to ask the deeper questions.
That is why many faculty benefit from intentionally setting aside time to step back, gain perspective, and imagine new possibilities. One opportunity to do just that is coming up this fall:
How to Find Your Mojo at Mid-Career Workshop
Day: Friday, September 26, 2025
Time: 12–2 PM ET (via Zoom)
Price: $250
This interactive two-hour session, led by Dr. Joy Gaston Gayles, will provide a supportive environment to reflect, reconnect with your values, and leave with practical strategies to move forward with renewed momentum.
Closing Thought
Mid-career does not have to be defined by exhaustion or uncertainty. It can also be a powerful turning point, a chance to pause, take stock, and decide what you want the next chapter of your career to look like.
When you create space to reflect, you can begin to realign your time with your values, set boundaries that protect your energy, and rediscover the aspects of academic life that feel most meaningful. Renewal does not happen all at once, but with intention and support, it is absolutely possible.
This stage of your career holds enormous potential. It can be a season of creativity, influence, and purpose that benefits not only your own well-being but also your students, your colleagues, and your field as a whole.
If you are ready to begin that process, the upcoming workshop provides a supportive place to start.