"I'm So Busy": Unpacking the Rhetoric of Overwhelm in Academia
Can you be a successful academic while not being overly busy?
A while back, I found myself in an elevator with two senior colleagues. As we exchanged greetings, one of them asked, “How are you doing?” Without missing a beat, I replied, “I’m okay. A bit overwhelmed by my to-do list.”
What followed was a familiar exchange: stories of overflowing plates, how the semester was racing by, and how none of us were sure how we’d get it all done. It felt like a ritual—a shared acknowledgment of the endless demands of academic life. But as I stepped off the elevator, I realized something unsettling: I had just lied.
I didn’t feel particularly overwhelmed. Sure, there were some semesters when I felt maxed out, but I worked hard to avoid making that the norm. That semester, I was making steady progress on my book project, my classes were going smoothly, and my life seemed relatively balanced.
So why did I instinctively join in the “I’m so busy” rhetoric? After reflecting on this, I realized that my reaction wasn’t unusual. It was a reflex born of academic culture.
Saying “I’m so busy” has become second nature in our profession, and it brings up a few issues that I think are worth exploring.
Busyness as a Badge of Commitment
In academia, admitting that you aren’t overwhelmed can feel like admitting you aren’t working hard enough. If I told my senior colleagues that I wasn’t drowning in deadlines, would they think I wasn’t serious about my job? About tenure? About the privilege of being a scholar?
Saying "I'm busy" communicates to others your commitment, demonstrating that you're not only fulfilling your responsibilities but also going above and beyond in a system that often encourages overextension.
Busyness is a badge of honor—proof that we’re dedicated to our work. But this narrative isn’t just unhelpful; it’s harmful. It sets unrealistic expectations for ourselves and others, especially for graduate students and early-career scholars who are looking to senior colleagues as models.
To be clear, I blame the system, not individual laborers, for this state of affairs; however, it is critical that we refrain from engaging in harmful rhetoric that strengthens the system.
Academic Work Doesn’t Fit the 40+ Hour Mold
Unlike many other professions, academic work doesn’t fit neatly into the 40+ hour workweek that many people see as an ideal. Research, writing, and teaching are not tasks you can grind through for eight hours straight. Intellectual labor is demanding. Drafting a paper, crafting a lecture, or analyzing data requires focus, creativity, and mental energy—resources that don’t replenish instantly.
We often push ourselves to maintain the illusion of constant productivity, even if it means working inefficiently or spending excessive time on less important tasks just to feel like we’re working hard. In reality, deep intellectual work requires significant focus and energy, which makes regular rest and recharge essential. The expectation that we should be “on” for 40+ hours a week ignores the nature of academic labor and supports the culture of overworking.
Passion Can Be Exploited
Academics tend to be deeply passionate people. We care about our research, we’re invested in our students, and we want to improve our departments, disciplines, and institutions. That passion, however, often compels us to take on more than we can realistically handle. We volunteer for committees, mentor extra students, and say yes to projects because we genuinely want things to be better.
Unfortunately, the academy thrives on exploiting this unpaid or underpaid labor. It is built into the system, which constantly expects more from us while failing to provide a fair exchange of compensation for our efforts.
I talk about these issues at length in this post:
Changing the Narrative
The culture of busyness in academia is pervasive, but it doesn’t have to define how we approach our work or interact with one another. Pay attention to how often you reflexively say, “I’m so busy.”
Are you truly overwhelmed, or are you repeating the script?
Are you feeling overwhelmed because you believe you need to take on more than you can handle in order to be a successful scholar or teacher?
Acknowledge your workload honestly, even if it feels vulnerable. When we’re honest with ourselves, we can start being honest with others—and that honesty can help challenge the harmful norms that make so many of us feel inadequate.
For those of us who mentor graduate students or junior colleagues, it’s essential to challenge the notion that busyness equals quality work. Talk about the importance of rest, boundaries, and pacing yourself for a sustainable career. Our students and colleagues are watching how we navigate these challenges, and we owe it to them to model a healthier way forward.
And for those of us who feel stretched thin, it’s okay to say no. The academy will always ask for more, but protecting your time and energy is not selfish—it’s necessary for doing your best work. For more on that, you can read this post:
In Sum
When I think back to that elevator ride, I wish I had answered differently. Maybe something like, “I’m doing well, actually! I’ve been making progress on my research, and my classes are going smoothly.” It would have been honest. It might even have opened the door to a more meaningful conversation. And perhaps most importantly, it would have been a small step toward dismantling the “I’m so busy” culture that so many of us feel trapped by.
Let’s start choosing honesty over habit. We deserve it—and so do the scholars who are looking to us for guidance.