You Have No Idea How Hard These People Work
While I don’t work on a college campus, I have the privilege of speaking on them regularly, and that gives me a bird’s-eye view of the life of a student affairs professional.
I watch you closely when I’m in your presence. I notice how late we leave campus together. I ask what the next day looks like, and more often than not, it starts at 8:00 a.m., even though here we are leaving campus at 10:00 p.m. I ask about vacation plans and rarely hear them. I ask about the last full weekend you had off, and it’s hard for many to recall.
You work hard.
That’s why I say this phrase a lot, especially when conversations turn to higher education staff. When a parent of a college student says, “The university should do more…” my response is almost always the same:
“You have no idea how hard these people work.”
It’s May. Commencement is upon us. The world is chaotic. Deadlines have stacked up. Messages sit unanswered, not because you don’t care, but because there simply hasn’t been time.
But soon, the students will leave. The emails will slow. The hallways will grow quiet.
And that’s when it becomes time to think about you and how you will recharge.
One helpful framework for reflection comes from the Global Flourishing Study, which defines human flourishing across five key domains. Taken together, they offer a powerful lens for thinking about how to rest, reset, and restore yourself over the summer.
1. Happiness & Life Satisfaction
How you feel about your life overall
After a long academic year, it’s easy to slip into survival mode—moving from one crisis or deadline to the next. Summer offers a rare opportunity to step back and ask:
What actually brings me joy when I’m not managing everyone else’s needs?
Ways to recharge this summer:
Plan joy on purpose, not just rest, concerts, day trips, farmer’s markets, or hobbies you abandoned mid-semester
Take at least a few days completely off-grid from work email
Keep a short “summer wins” list, tiny moments that remind you that life is more than your inbox
Protect one small, repeatable ritual each week, a walk, a slow morning, lunch with a friend, something you can look forward to and refuse to surrender
Joy doesn’t have to be extravagant. Sometimes it’s simply remembering what it feels like to exhale.
2. Physical & Mental Health
Your body, your energy, your stress
Let’s be honest: higher education often runs on adrenaline, caffeine, and grit. Over time, that takes a toll. Summer isn’t about becoming a “new you.” It’s about listening to what your body and mind have been asking for all year.
Ways to recharge this summer:
Reestablish basic rhythms: sleep, hydration, movement
Take walks between buildings, or neighborhoods, instead of rushing
Schedule preventative care you postponed: checkups, therapy, massage, or physical therapy
Create a clear boundary between “working from home” and “living at home”
Rest is not a reward for productivity. It’s a requirement for sustainability.
3. Meaning & Purpose
Why your work and your life matter
Higher education professionals are often deeply mission-driven. But burnout can cloud even the strongest sense of purpose. Summer creates space to reconnect with the why or to thoughtfully rethink it.
Ways to recharge this summer:
Reflect on moments from this year that reminded you why you chose this work
Journal or talk with a colleague about what feels meaningful now, not five years ago
Volunteer or engage in a project that uses your skills outside your job description
Consider what you want to protect about your work moving forward
Meaning doesn’t disappear when you rest. Often, it becomes clearer.
4. Character & Virtue
How you show up, with integrity, compassion, and courage
When pressure is constant, patience shortens. Empathy wears thin. Summer gives you room to be human again, not just efficient.
Ways to recharge this summer:
Practice saying no, to meetings, committees, or expectations that drain you
Extend grace to yourself for what didn’t get done this year
Reinvest in curiosity: read for pleasure or learn something with no productivity goal
Model healthy behavior for colleagues and students by actually using your leave
Living your values sometimes starts with slowing down long enough to notice them.
5. Close Social Relationships
The people who hold you up
During peak times, relationships often slip to the margins. Summer is a chance to reconnect—not to network, but to genuinely connect. Flourishing has never been a solo endeavor.
Ways to recharge this summer:
Spend unhurried time with people who don’t need anything from you
Rebuild friendships outside your institution
Have lunches that aren’t “meetings”
Let someone take care of you for a change
A Quiet Campus Is an Invitation
You really do work hard, harder than many people will ever see or fully understand. Summer is not a pause in productivity; it’s an investment in your capacity to continue. There are 20 ideas listed above. Pick five and go invest in you!
As the campus quiets, consider this an invitation:
Not to do more.
Not to catch up.
But to recharge on purpose, in ways that help you flourish.
Because you deserve that, too.
For the past year, I’ve been studying and engaging deeply with the concept of flourishing, and I believe it’s a framework not just for individuals, but for entire communities, including fraternities and sororities. We can intentionally build spaces where people truly thrive. If you would like to learn more or explore this work together, please reach out.