The Institution Will Take Your Soul

Hello Hard-Working Souls,

The institution will take your soul if you are foolish enough to give it away.

This is the piece of wisdom I’m living with right now. We all have personal challenges that extend beyond our work and passions.

I was raised by two university professors, the campus was our playground. Those moments, surrounded by an academic environment, are among my fondest memories—and they are what I want for my own kids.

The one thing my mom and I both got wrong? Not feeling like we could take maternity leave. My mom walked home from the hospital less than 24 hours after giving birth and was back in the classroom a week later. I did something similar.

If I could do it all over again, I would encourage both of us to take the time.

We’re lucky to have work we love and to pursue visions we deeply believe in.

But we must remember—the institution can and will survive without us.

Taking time every day to go home, rest, and enjoy life is the best thing we can do for ourselves, our families, and the jobs we love.