Mid-Career Academic Burnout: When Faculty Exhaustion Sneaks Up On You
Mid-career academic burnout is a real and often underestimated challenge. It can quietly emerge after (or even just before) tenure, during the stretch from associate to full professor, or after you’ve been promoted to full professor. Sometimes academic burnout is obvious, but it can be invisible. Understanding what burnout looks like and having strategies in place can help you stay engaged and energized, so it doesn’t suddenly knock you off your feet when it appears.
What is Mid-Career for Academics?
As academics, we get pretty used to labeling ourselves as “early career” academics post-PhD – and it’s generally safe to consider yourself at that stage through the tenure and promotion process. But what does “mid-career” mean in academia?
While there’s no formal definition, mid-career is generally the long stretch after tenure, including both faculty at both the associate and full professor ranks. The mid-career period can last decades, more or less until you begin winding down in preparation for retirement.
Mid-career for academics often brings both increased freedom and mounting responsibility: research agendas open, service commitments pile up, and mentoring expectations grow. While the autonomy post-tenure can be rewarding, it can also introduce new pressures that gradually chip away at motivation and engagement.
What Mid-Career Academic Burnout Looks Like
Like any form of burnout, mid-career academic burnout can manifest in subtle ways. It doesn’t always involve dramatic collapse or visible withdrawal. Still, it’s helpful to know what academic burnout might look like. In addition to typical signs of burnout at work, some common signs of academic burnout include:
- Loss of enthusiasm for research, teaching, and/or service
- Feeling “stuck” or coasting through responsibilities rather than engaging fully
- Difficulty meeting self-imposed deadlines
- Trouble with starting new projects (or finishing old ones)
- Persistently overthinking priorities without taking action
I’ve certainly experienced stretches post-tenure when my motivation to write or complete research waned. I didn’t call it burnout at the time, but in hindsight, that’s what it was. Through these experiences, I’ve learned how essential it is to notice signs of burnout and take intentional steps to reset.
It’s also important to keep in mind that burnout doesn’t present the same for everyone, and it has no particular timeline. And in my experience, the same goes for the underlying cause of burnout: sometimes it’s rooted in workload, and other times, it’s tied to personal circumstances that make academic workload feel out of sync with the rest of life. At this point in my career, I’ve dealt with some of both.
Recognizing burnout, in all its forms, is the first step toward regaining engagement and energy.
Why Mid-Career Academics Are Especially Vulnerable
Unlike early-career faculty, mid-career academics have already navigated major milestones like tenure and promotion. Once those boxes are checked, external pressure to grow may ease, but the workload often doesn’t. Without meaningful support, even highly motivated faculty can find themselves disengaging, or quietly questioning whether their work still feels purposeful.
Another challenge for mid-career faculty is that burnout rarely comes up in workplace conversations – leaving you less prepared if it bubbles up. By this stage, you’ve earned tenure, navigated promotion, and essentially “made it” in academia. That can create an unspoken expectation that you shouldn’t be struggling or need help. Many institutions still lack a culture of genuinely checking in on colleagues’ well-being, and burnout can carry a sense of shame, like you’ve somehow fallen short. This can make it hard to speak up, especially if addressing it would require asking for reduced service loads or other accommodations. Recognizing this reality helps explain why many mid-career academics experience burnout in isolation, and why proactively seeking support (from mentors, trusted colleagues, or professional resources) can be so important.
Ironically, moments designed for reflection – like sabbaticals – can amplify these realizations. The pause from regular teaching, service, and administrative duties creates space to reflect on the work you’ve been doing, and sometimes that reflection reveals how depleted you’ve been.
Taking Breaks: A Key Strategy
The good news is that burnout isn’t inevitable, and it’s not permanent. Intentional breaks are one of the most effective ways to address it. These can range from small breaks, like stepping away from email for a weekend, saying no to new service requests, or taking a day for personal projects, to longer, structured pauses like pseudo-sabbaticals, where you intentionally create space to reflect, recalibrate, and recharge.
Designing these “reset moments” gives you permission to step back, reassess priorities, and reconnect with what energizes you. For those who have the opportunity, full sabbaticals and sabbatical-related travel offer extended space for renewal – time to experiment with new ideas, explore research or travel projects, or simply rest before returning to regular rhythms.
Next Steps if You’re Feeling Burnout
If you suspect you’re experiencing mid-career academic burnout – or even feeling close to it – start here:
- Pause and reflect. Notice patterns of fatigue, disengagement, or frustration. Journaling or voice memos can help clarify what’s happening.
- Set boundaries. Reevaluate what you can defer, delegate, or decline.
- Schedule intentional breaks. Even short, regular pauses can help maintain focus and motivation.
- Seek support. You don’t have to navigate burnout alone. Talk to someone you trust – a friend, family member, supportive coworker, mentor, therapist, or coach. And I’ll just go ahead and say it: if you don’t have anyone to talk to about this, ChatGPT is a great starting point.
- Address workload concerns. If you feel your responsibilities are disproportionately heavy compared to peers, consider discussing it with your department chair, HR representative, or a union contact.
- Reconnect with energizing work. Identify projects that excite you and make intentional time for them.
Burnout doesn’t have to define your mid-career journey. By recognizing the signs, taking intentional pauses, and seeking support when needed, you can maintain engagement, focus, and satisfaction in your work. Remember that stepping back, setting boundaries, and reconnecting with what energizes you are not signs of weakness – they’re strategies that help you sustain a fulfilling academic career over the long haul.
