As you may already know, if you follow me on Twitter or have me circled on Google+, I'm leaving my current position at Hiram College, as the information literacy/instruction librarian, to become the director of the library at Wesley College.
I have to admit I've been feeling a bit topsy turvy with all the changes. Saying goodbye to friends among the faculty and staff has been hard, and saying goodbye to students has been harder. All the while, I keep getting songs like the one from which I took the title of this post stuck in my head.
I don't have a big message of advice for this week, other than to use my experiences as an example. I want to remind you all that there is always an emotional aspect of work. If you work in a place, you get attached to it whether you like it or not. It's normal to feel these feels. I started at this institution with the stated expectation of staying for 3 to 5 years, and 4.5 years later I'm on my way out the door. I'm giving myself room to think about the changes that are happening, and trying really hard not to get too stressed about all the work I'll have waiting for me at the other end. I've got a master to-do list, and I check it every day. I know things will happen, and that I'll manage to take care of all the details. All of these feelings and events are expected and normal, but it doesn't mean it's necessarily easy.
I also know that, at the other end of this major change, I'll have a position that is a dream job for me at this stage of my career. Every time I've started to get a little sad about what I'm leaving behind - amazing professional freedom, supportive colleagues, and students who love what I do - I remind myself of where I'm going. And if that doesn't cheer me up, I pull out the big guns... I picture myself in something like this hat (only, instead of the word "Chief," my version says "Director"):
What about you? How do you handle the emotional part of professional change?
I have to admit I've been feeling a bit topsy turvy with all the changes. Saying goodbye to friends among the faculty and staff has been hard, and saying goodbye to students has been harder. All the while, I keep getting songs like the one from which I took the title of this post stuck in my head.
I don't have a big message of advice for this week, other than to use my experiences as an example. I want to remind you all that there is always an emotional aspect of work. If you work in a place, you get attached to it whether you like it or not. It's normal to feel these feels. I started at this institution with the stated expectation of staying for 3 to 5 years, and 4.5 years later I'm on my way out the door. I'm giving myself room to think about the changes that are happening, and trying really hard not to get too stressed about all the work I'll have waiting for me at the other end. I've got a master to-do list, and I check it every day. I know things will happen, and that I'll manage to take care of all the details. All of these feelings and events are expected and normal, but it doesn't mean it's necessarily easy.
I also know that, at the other end of this major change, I'll have a position that is a dream job for me at this stage of my career. Every time I've started to get a little sad about what I'm leaving behind - amazing professional freedom, supportive colleagues, and students who love what I do - I remind myself of where I'm going. And if that doesn't cheer me up, I pull out the big guns... I picture myself in something like this hat (only, instead of the word "Chief," my version says "Director"):
 |
| Source |
What about you? How do you handle the emotional part of professional change?
I'm currently in the process of job transition too. One of the benefits of a departure, in my experience, is 'farewell bonding.' I really enjoy all those 'last lunches' with colleagues, whether or not I have worked very closely with them. Especially in a corporate environment (as opposed to your academic one), there can be less opportunity for serendipitous interaction and exchange of ideas, so it's great to have a flurry of 'farewell' meetings that involve a lot of great conversation/networking, simply because it is the last chance for many of them to directly interact with me. Some of it may just be saving face, but there is a lot of genuine professional bonding too. This makes leaving more of a celebration than a sad farewell. Good luck with your transition!
ReplyDelete