Are you burning out?

In this episode of the Prof Talk Pod, we talk about faculty burnout, using the World Health Organization definition and reflecting on how chronic workplace stress shows up in teaching. We discuss the emotional labor of being “on” in class, the added mental load of supporting students’ mental health (especially in freshmen and sophomore courses), and how student issues often bleed into academic life and after-hours time. Becky and Katie emphasize setting communication boundaries that fit individual work styles, including clear email-response expectations and modeling professional behavior for students. We share warning signs of burnout like wanting to cancel class, disengagement, and disrupted sleep.