I think I have discovered why I am always tired. Not only do I do my own work, but I do everyone else’s as well.
For example, I spent 90 minutes dealing with my health insurance company. I have been on the call waiting rodeo for the seventh time to deal with this problem. Every time I think we have the issue sorted; it pops up again. The insurance companies may be saving money, but they are wasting my time.
While we are on health care, why do doctors and specialists communicate through the patient? Wouldn’t it be more efficient and less prone to error if the doctors and the specialists communicated among themselves rather than ask me to explain what is going on? Moreover, we are expected to ‘manage’ our healthcare through portals, so that is another task on my to-do list.
At work, I am expected to empty trash cans and recycling containers in my own office. With budget cuts, I guess household chores were added to the responsibilities of teaching, research, and service.
Finally, there is concern about students’ mental health, with the expected assumption that faculty add that responsibility to the growing concerns of student retention, enrollment, sexual harassment, cybersecurity, and the email updates and directives that go on and on. Nothing ever gets subtracted.
So given the mental load, the pile of chores, and added responsibilities I did not volunteer for...it’s no wonder I’m tired!
I’m Frances Jaeger, and that is my Perspective.
