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[satanicmechanic]

That's right, I said it. Let's  not sugarcoat it; no use in denying it. I hate to get up in the morning and go to work. I don't like to abide by a schedule. I like to eat, sleep, read and generally relax. I like reading a book at the cafe with a cup of coffee. I like walks in the park.  Dinner with friends, dinner alone, even.

I like teaching. I like research, and I enjoy writing. But on my time, when I feel like it, when the mood inspires me.

I'm 32 and I've got another, what, 38 years of this nonsense, this getting up, punching in, punching out.

[nardo]

Then sell your body or soul to someone with wealth and sleep in.

[ursula]

I was going to say marry a full professor, but maybe it's about the same thing.

[polly_mer]

No, you only have another 5-7 years of the grind.  Once you get tenure, you may goof off.  At least that's what I see many people at my school doing.

[satanicmechanic]

Ah, tenure. Just six years away...

[avaya]

Can you change your hours?  If you teach afternoons or evenings, your mornings are free for whatever you'd like

[zoelouise]

That's right, I said it. Let's  not sugarcoat it; no use in denying it. I hate to get up in the morning and go to work. I don't like to abide by a schedule. I like to eat, sleep, read and generally relax. I like reading a book at the cafe with a cup of coffee. I like walks in the park.  Dinner with friends, dinner alone, even.

I like teaching. I like research, and I enjoy writing. But on my time, when I feel like it, when the mood inspires me.

I'm 32 and I've got another, what, 38 years of this nonsense, this getting up, punching in, punching out.

Amen.

And marrying for money IS work. Soul-destroying work, to boot.

[edwidge]

Why do you have to punch in and out? Are you in a department where 'face time' matters? In my department, you can create your own schedule. I work from home mostly, and go in to the office a few days per week. No one cares the slightest bit, as long as I crank out the pubs, do my research, and respond promptly to the avalanche of emails. I'm at a research-intensive state university, in a social science discipline, btw.

[onion]

That's right, I said it. Let's  not sugarcoat it; no use in denying it. I hate to get up in the morning and go to work. I don't like to abide by a schedule. I like to eat, sleep, read and generally relax. I like reading a book at the cafe with a cup of coffee. I like walks in the park.  Dinner with friends, dinner alone, even.

I like teaching. I like research, and I enjoy writing. But on my time, when I feel like it, when the mood inspires me.

I'm 32 and I've got another, what, 38 years of this nonsense, this getting up, punching in, punching out.

I hear that.  The morning survey classes are killing me.  The late morning office hours are draining me of every ounce of energy I have, and late afternoon committee and faculty meetings steal my soul.

I barely have time to do laundry and go grocery shopping, let alone work on the manuscript.  Calgon, take me away.

[belladonna]

I just want to sympathize: I hate to work, too.

When I was a grad student, I envied all my friends who have a 9-5 job because at the end of the day, they know they have put in a full day's work, which should make them feel proud and all fuzzy inside.

My friends all respond to my observation with, "No, you don't want to be in my shoes."

Now that I'm working, I know exactly what they mean. I hate the fact that I have to get up early in the morning and work... at the end of the day, I'm too exhausted to do anything else, let alone feel good about myself.

I'm hoping that what I am experiencing is just the starting-a-job blues and is temporary.

[dr_coffee]

You don't hate to work, you just don't like to work when other people say you have to.  There is a big difference.  I am in my third year, and have an attitude much like yours.  It took 3 years, but I now teach 2 days a week.  That leaves 2 days for MY research and writing, and one day for meeting.  I am VERY FIRM about my writing days and have the pubs to back it up, so people generally leave me alone.  One point, however - the two days I am physically IN the office, I run around, do all grading, planning, teaching, errands on campus - they are crazy days.  Still, it is worth it.  In addition, as pointed out, if one tries this, you MUST be attentive to E-Mail.  That seems to keep everyone happy.  It is a small price to pay to sit in my study 2 days a week and read articles, review articles, outline proposals, etc...

[satanicmechanic]

Yeah, I am going to try to reduce my days and change my hours so that I teach in the afternoon. This is my first semester so I am trying to put in lots of face time. I think I'll keep this up for another year or two, just because I see other non-tenure people "looking busy" all the time.
I'm nocturnal, so this waking up early business is awful. BTW, I don't see the R-1 lifestyle, which allows one to work at home but publish, as being any better. The R-1 non-tenured people I know live in a constant state of anxiety and general fear. And they have to deal with huge egos.

I kind of liked the adjunct lifestule. A course here, a course there. So what if you missed a day. No committees, no paper work. But the pay was atrocious.

[daurousseau]

Looks like you're online teaching material.

There's a guy named Bill who works out of the kitchen of a B&B on the northern California coast, just before route 1 turns inland. Teaches Psychology at a uni in Pittsburgh online and grades essays for the Educational Testing Service online. He lives exactly the kind of life you are describing.

I'm not recommending that location--too far to the coffee shop. How about Kauai instead? They make a great cappucino at the hippy coffee bar in Kaa'pa.

[edwidge]

I'm nocturnal, so this waking up early business is awful.

Aha. this explains it! We night owls have it rough when crazy morning people schedule us for morning teaching, and force us to attend morning meetings (8:00 breakfast meetings anyone?). Once you are able to schedule your classes for the afternoon, you will start to feel more like yourself.

I am trying to put in lots of face time. I think I'll keep this up for another year or two, just because I see other non-tenure people "looking busy" all the time.

It can be exhausting to compare yourself to your peers on the tenure track, who may be propelled by their own anxiety and compulsion to 'look busy' at all costs. Do you get this message from the tenured folks within your department? If not, I would go with what they recommend, rather than trying to keep up with your peers.

In my first year on the tenure track, the other new hire was in the office constantly. He seemed to never leave his office chair, except to get more coffee. He was around so much that people actually commented on it: "wow, does he sleep here?" Anyway, by the end of the first year, he had done very little writing and hadn't been very productive after all.

My point is that just putting in face time out of anxiety isn't always very productive or useful (I'm not suggesting that you're doing this, but perhaps some of your peers are). Find out what the tenured faculty expect from you, try to ignore your peers if their habits only serve to make you feel more anxious/inadequate, and then try to mold your schedule to accommodate your strengths. Good luck!

[satanicmechanic]

I'd like to know more about this guy Bill in California. Sounds like a great life he's got going. The faculty here are very laid back. They don't expect me to be around if I don't have office hours.

It's just tough getting used to the daily grind. In grad school I usually had a few days a week that were completely mine. I read but I did so in the park and in cafes. I went to bed at 4 am and woke up at 11 am, maybe noon.

I didn't have to wear khakis and speak office talk. What's with all the bureaucratic talk anyway. Enough about "assessments".