Writing - thinking, organizing, synthesizing, connecting dots - Grateful! - Second month of sabbatical - October, 2022

This is the last week of October 2022. I'm ending the second month of my sabbatical term and feel like I have a good rhythm - in some ways- and less so in others.

Sabbatical is supposed to provide some relaxation- some rest. This article (https://millie.us/summer-2022/) by Brienne Walsh in the publication MILLIE titled: Gap Years for Grown Ups, reminds us that this break from work was established by Harvard University in 1880, for scholars to pursue research, writing, and potentially travel needed to pursue scholarly work. The concept of a sabbatical is based on the Biblical agricultural concept of a break for rest and recovery (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbatical).

An academic sabbatical can be for a term or a full year, but the intent is for normal academic daily duties to cease and for research and writing to continue during this break.  It has been agreed amongst experts that traveling or taking a break can boost creativity and when in a relaxed state the capacity to learn improves (https://millie.us/summer-2022/ p. 30).

I am more relaxed and have the freedom to allow thoughts to germinate and build on each other so I can write and organize better.  

I also find the rest has been especially helpful. I have been on a very demanding academic schedule since 2014.  Working on my Ph.D. (2014-2018), while working full-time. A colleague and I also were co-authoring a book titled: Supporting Transfer Student Success: The Essential Role of College and University Libraries -https://www.abc-clio.com/products/a6186p/T- which was published Fall of 2020.

Then the pandemic hit with its' share of additional demands on work and creative ways to deliver information literacy instruction across various modalities.  In addition, there were very stressful work environmental issues and demands that continued to increase, without decreasing workloads in other areas to accommodate increasing workloads in new areas of instruction.

I also suggested and took the lead to initiate and develop an Information Literacy program at our academic institution, beginning in 2020. This continued to develop in the midst of the pandemic using online platforms like TEAMS and ZOOM before they were popular or became the "norm" for our work environments.

Given the level of high stress and demands, it was welcomed news to learn my sabbatical application was approved. 

Though I have two high-demand projects I'm working on during this sabbatical, I find the opportunities to relax to write, think, and handle the daily life things we all deal with to be easier.  I can write after having had a walk or run or bike ride so my mind has assimilated or connected dots that were not connecting in a more systematic environment.  I find creativity requires a relaxed mind and often at the end of doctoral work while doing the writing I would continually remind myself to "relax into the writing".  If I could relax, the writing would come. If I could not relax, the writing and thoughts and connections were stifled and limited and could not flow.

I am thankful for the sabbatical and continue to write and flow with a relaxed mind and with heartfelt gratefulness.