What Comes After Tenure? Reflections on the Next Chapter

After years—maybe even decades—of grinding away toward one singular goal, tenure can feel like a magical finish line. We pour our hearts and minds into publishing, teaching, grant-writing, and service, all with the hope that one day we’ll be rewarded with academic security. But then it happens (or at least I assume it will happen for me soon). And suddenly, we’re left with a surprisingly disorienting question: What’s next?

I’ve spent so much of my energy striving for this milestone that it’s hard to imagine what life looks like beyond it. I recently had a conversation with my supervisor, who gave me generous advice: Take time to reflect on where you want to spend your energy. In other words, breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Recognize that it’s okay to pause, to settle into this new stage without constantly worrying, Am I publishing enough? Am I winning enough grants? How do my student evaluations look?

I went on a deep dive online, searching for advice on how to navigate this transition—one that nobody really prepares us for. Here are some key themes I found repeated in articles, blog posts, and from experienced tenured faculty:

1. Take a Break (and Acknowledge Your Achievement)
   Many people advise taking a moment (or several moments) to savor reaching this milestone. Recognize how much work went into getting here and allow yourself the grace to enjoy it.

2. Reassess Your Priorities
   Now that you have the security of tenure, you have more freedom to choose the direction of your work. This is an opportunity to ask yourself: What projects genuinely excite me? How can I have a bigger impact—whether in my field, my institution, or my community?

3. Focus on Mentorship
   Tenure brings credibility and a sense of responsibility to the next generation. Many recommend investing more in mentoring students and junior colleagues. This not only gives back but can also spark fresh ideas and collaborations.

4. Engage in Service—But Strategically
   After tenure, committee invitations might multiply. Be purposeful in your choices: say yes to service roles that align with your passions and values, but don’t be afraid to set boundaries.

5. Pursue ‘Riskier’ Research
   With tenure, you have more freedom to undertake innovative or interdisciplinary projects that might not have fit neatly into pre-tenure “publish or perish” constraints. This can be a time to push the envelope and contribute something groundbreaking to your field.

6. Cultivate Balance and Self-Care
   Academia can be a marathon, not a sprint. Prioritize health, well-being, and time with loved ones. It’s easy to keep racing, but one piece of wisdom I saw frequently was, slow the fuck down. There’s no need to keep an unsustainable pace. Your body, mind, and relationships will thank you.

My Own Next Steps

These tips resonate deeply with me. Here’s what I plan to focus on in this new chapter:

• Slow (the F*) Down**
  I’ve been running full-speed for years, and while the pressure to “do it all” never fully vanishes, tenure (or the anticipation of it) allows me to give myself permission to move at a more humane pace. A colleague aptly described it as shifting from a sprint mindset to running a marathon. Sustainable, steady progress is the key.

• Spend More Time in the Community
  I want to strengthen relationships outside my university walls. Meeting with community partners, sharing coffee, listening to their insights—these connections remind me that my work can have tangible, positive impacts beyond the academic bubble.

• Mentor and Collaborate
  Nothing reinvigorates me like working with students and junior scholars, seeing their enthusiasm spark new ideas. I plan to carve out more opportunities for co-creating research projects, co-authoring papers, and simply brainstorming over coffee. Passing along what I’ve learned and opening doors for others feels like an important part of my role now.

• Push the Envelope in My Field
  In the pre-tenure hustle, I often gravitated toward “safe” research agendas. Now I want to be bolder and more daring. If we don’t try to stretch boundaries, who will?

• Pass on Opportunities
  One of the privileges of tenure is having a broader platform and network. I want to amplify voices that aren’t always heard, connecting colleagues, students, and community members with grants, conferences, and other opportunities.

• Take a Deep Breath
  Finally, I’m reminding myself to breathe, rest, and celebrate. This isn’t a to-do list item we cross off once and forget about; it’s an ongoing practice of treating myself (and others) with more kindness and less freneticism.

Final Thoughts

Life post-tenure can be simultaneously thrilling and bewildering. It’s an invitation to shape the academic path you truly want—one that invests in meaningful research, mentorship, community engagement, and, perhaps most crucially, a more balanced life. If you’re in the same boat, I hope these reflections (and the collected wisdom from seasoned faculty) remind you that there is, in fact, a next chapter. And it might just be the best one yet.