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Reviewed:
May 28, 2025
First Published:
August 10, 2022
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Faculty often face significant pressure to excel as educators, researchers, and professionals in their fields. These demands—combined with university service responsibilities and personal or external obligations—can take a toll on overall well-being. In some cases, faculty may also experience added strain from taking on additional responsibilities that fall outside their primary roles. To support their own well-being, faculty can explore strategies such as working with a mentor to find balance in their workload, building connections with colleagues, and seeking professional support when needed. It is important to recognize early signs of burnout and take steps to address them, including accessing resources like UTHSC’s Employee Assistance Program. Remember, you are not alone—there are tools and services available to help you take care of your well-being.
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Use the comments section below to let us know your tips to promote faculty well-being.
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Faculty can reduce stress through a number of methods including “prioritizing tasks, using positive psychology, colouring, maintaining a healthy body, building social relationships, and seeking professional help when required.”
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Organizations can improve faculty well-being by optimizing faculty and staff support, establishing a faculty development and mentoring program, permitting flexibility in work schedules, improving productivity of meetings, and managing communication tools.
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Set boundaries: Maintain regular work hours as much as possible and schedule time for activities you enjoy outside of work.
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Identify a mentor: Find a mentor who can help you determine how to balance your workload in a way that keeps a work-life balance.
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Join or start a Faculty Learning Community: Meeting regularly with other faculty members can minimize stress.
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Recognize your limitations: Know campus resources available for students who come to you for support with mental health, financial challenges, or other life situations. As much as faculty often want to assist students, remember your own wellbeing is important and it is more helpful to refer a student to a professional than try to work through a problem with them.
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Seek professional support: UTHSC offers faculty support through the Employee Assistance Program.
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Brazeau, G. A., Frenzel, J. E., & Prescott, W. A. (2020). Facilitating wellbeing in a turbulent time. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 84(6).
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Larson, L. M., Seipel, M. T., Shelley, M. C., Gahn, S. W., Ko, S. Y., Schenkenfelder, M., … & Heitmann, M. M. (2019). The academic environment and faculty well-being: The role of psychological needs. Journal of Career Assessment, 27(1), 167-182.
- Recharging in Real Time. Mukta Panda, MD and Bindiya Bagga, MD, College of Medicine. TLC Webinar. Recorded July 9, 2021.
- How Do You Feel? Jessi Gold, MD. College of Medicine. TLC “Teach Well. Learn Well.” podcast. Part 1 (October 2024) and Part 2 (November 2024).
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