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[observer3]

It is that time of year again of my heavy schedule, and the 4 hours of today doing a repeat performance on my feet to the student audience has left me fully drained. There are also the student panic emails and fears about the paper, confusion about assignments, lots of student work to return and late nights.

And the middle of it all there is a prime minister referring to resistance over the academic pension attacks in insulting terms. I am starting to wonder whether I can actually do this until I am 68 too, but I am still far from there and am not sure how rapidly stamina generally declines. And it doesn't help that I feel truly unappreciated and demoralized. It isn't as if I make a lot for this gig.

And what is so great about making us work longer when the younger generation need them, and would be paid less than us? Isn't that the point of the regular retirement age?

Or maybe I am just burned out a few decades early. Anyone out there more optimistic about getting to 68?

[mingus]

Am pretty optimistic.  Just the right amount of pot and red wine. 

[expatinuk]

Am pretty optimistic.  Just the right amount of pot and red wine. 

You actually said something that really made me laugh.

As to the original post... as bizarre as this may sound in my field the academic gig is much much much less stressful and fewer long hours.

Of course in my field, in industry, you do make heaps more money.

[crumpet]

I definitely have phases of serious burnout. I've also watched the morale in my department tank over the past year or so, which makes it even harder. How can I whine about being over-worked/burned out if everyone else is to?

I think the REF has a lot to do with it. We're under a lot of pressure to produce right NOW for the upcoming REF. I'm hopeful that once its too late/over that things will calm down.

If you disagree with me, just lie to me. I need something to hold on to!

[juvenal]

Reasonably optimistic I'll make it to 68, as I've been 67 for three months now.

And I'm still in the classroom.  Not so much "burnt out" as somewhat "worn out."  I still get a charge out of lecturing, maybe because I'm somewhat of a ham, and like many introverts, I find being in front of a crowd much more pleasant than interacting with two or three.  I suppose it's the relative distancing involved with "being on stage."

But the body's getting tired.  Luckily, my CC's faculty contract has a provision for reduced teaching loads (at the equivalent reduction in salary, or course), and for the past couple years I've begun tapering off.

Yes, I'm quite sure I'll make it to 68, but next fall might well be the final semester for me.

[runwithscissors]

I don't mean to upset you, but what makes you think ConDems will stop at 68?