Is it actually possible to find a balance as a postsecondary history teacher in South Africa right now?
What are the biggest challenges that specifically drain your time in this field?
It鈥檚 rarely the actual lecturing that wears you down; it鈥檚 the administrative "shadow work." In a South African context, our history departments are often under-resourced. You aren't just teaching; you are often the programme coordinator, the student counsellor, and the primary researcher all at once. Marking 300-plus essays on the nuances of the Mfecane or South African socio-political shifts takes a massive toll on your evenings. Many lecturers find themselves answering emails from students at 10 PM because there is a genuine desire to see these students succeed in a difficult economic climate. This emotional labour is a silent time-thief.
How do you manage to keep your head above water without burning out?
That is the million-rand question! Most successful academics I know have had to learn the hard way to set firm boundaries. One colleague of mine, let鈥檚 call him Dr. Mkhize, used to spend every weekend in the archives or marking. He eventually realised his health was failing. He started implementing "The Golden Two"鈥攖wo hours every morning dedicated solely to his own research before opening his email. If you don't prioritise your own academic growth, the administrative side of the university will swallow you whole. Another strategy is to organise "marking retreats" with peers, where you turn a heavy workload into a social, albeit focused, event.
Does the industry norm in South Africa support a healthy lifestyle?
In theory, the academic calendar offers long breaks, which sounds like a dream for work-life balance. However, the industry norm is to use those "vacations" to catch up on the research you couldn't do during the semester. There is a cultural expectation within South African universities that if you aren't producing papers, you aren't working. This makes it very hard to truly switch off. However, we are seeing a shift; many departments are starting to realise that burnt-out lecturers produce poor research, so there is a slow move towards encouraging "wellness days" and more flexible remote-working arrangements for research periods.
What practical advice would you give to someone entering this career today?
First, be realistic about the finances. At R40,577pm, you need to be smart with your personal financial management. Second, treat your research like a 9-to-5 job rather than a hobby you do on weekends. Third, learn to say "no" to committee work that doesn't serve your career path or your students directly. It is very easy to become the "secretary" of the department because you are organised, but that won't get you your next promotion or give you your Sundays back. Finally, invest in a good digital filing system early on. Searching for misplaced references is a waste of time you could be spending with your family.
Expert Advice: The "Rest as Resistance" Mindset
In a field as demanding as postsecondary history education, you must view rest as a vital part of your professional output, not a luxury. Given the current lack of job mobility in the sector, your greatest asset is your longevity. To survive and thrive, you must curate a life outside the archives. Set a "hard stop" time for your workday, use your sabbatical cycles effectively, and remember that while the history of South Africa is vast and complex, your personal time is finite.
Are you navigating the challenging waters of an academic career? Take our Career Assessment to see how your skills align with the current South African job market and discover strategies to improve your professional well-being.
Take the Career Assessment Today
Compare this with Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary and Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary, which pay a similar kind of salary in South Africa.
