Blurring boundaries

When I stepped down from administrative work to resume full-time teaching this year, I made a decision that I would no longer deal with email during evenings and weekends. I pretty much stuck to that during the fall semester, and I felt liberated. I still had school work to do at home, but I made sure that when I was doing my school work I didn't have Facebook and Twitter windows open at the same time. So even when work happened at home, I made sure I was completely "at work" while I was doing it. (Heck, I even would wear a school t-shirt to remind myself of what I was supposed to be doing!)

Maintaining boundaries was difficult to adjust to, but once I did, it was freeing. I was able to compartmentalize things in my life in ways that allowed me to feel more productive and accomplished in each area. I began to feel more balanced, and when I was thinking about any particular area of my life, I was once again feeling engaged and energized and accomplished--instead of flustered and constantly behind.

Recently, however, I've been experiencing a blurring of boundaries. Naturally, I blame Scott Walker. So much of my personal time has been directed to engaging in conversations about state political issues--and since the budget repair bill and the proposed budget affect both my work and my compensation, it's been harder to maintain these boundaries.  Like many of my colleagues, I spent most of February and March distracted and angry while at work. It was sometimes hard to look at students and not wonder, "Are you against me?" It was hard to read student papers from home while sitting at the same table where I sit to pay bills and balance the checkbook.

As one of my beloved colleagues retires, I am also experiencing the fluidity of boundaries. I am personally very sad that she is retiring. (I'm thrilled for her, but very sad for what her absence will mean for the campus and the department and simply for the value of being in the presence of her strength and wisdom.) My colleagues and I have been discussing the various ways we might celebrate her time with us as she moves on to her next phase of life. Unfortunately for me and my intentions, much of this conversation has been happening via email outside of daytime working hours.

Now, I have no issues with someone sending email at odd times. I've certainly done my share of sending emails at 4 am, in the middle of summer, deep into January snowdays, and so forth. Because much of academic life takes place at home, during the times that work within our own individual lives, I respect this. The fact that I am choosing to honor boundaries in my life does not mean that I think everyone else should be doing the same thing. But I am seeing decisions get made during these odd times. During Spring Break, when some of my colleagues were on a much-needed break from all things work-related, people were making decisions about how to acknowledge my colleague's retirement. This past weekend (Easter weekend, when I was out of town to visit family), emails were being sent about another department activity.

All I ask is that people be given an opportunity to adhere to work/life boundaries if they choose--and that decisions not be made when classes are not in session. Feel free to discuss and share ideas during off-times--but don't make decisions until everyone has had a reasonable opportunity (as in, during the teaching day)  to make their voices heard. I am feeling so frustrated right now, and I am getting very snarky. Most work-related decisions do not need to be made within 24-48 hours, and I feel resentful when it seems that am behind my colleagues' expectations simply because I am trying to strive for balance in my life.