HOLIDAYS ARE HOLIDAYS, RIGHT? ‘BRAZILIAN LECTURERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES

Authors

  • Mayara da Mota Matos Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho
  • Rebecca Sanderson University of Lincoln
  • Roraima Alves Costa Filho Municipal Department of Education, Rio Claro, São Paulo (SP), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-7576
  • Roberto Tadeu Iaochite Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, São Paulo (SP), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1476-6253

Keywords:

academic work, work-life balance, productivism, Brazilian lecturers, higher education

Abstract

The work-life balance in higher education has been extensively studied but the understanding of the academic work culture in Brazil is limited. This article explores Brazilian lecturers' perceptions of the interface between professional and personal life. Drawing on 516 responses to a questionnaire about using non-work time for academic tasks, and referencing the philosopher Byung-Chul Han and sociologist Lewis Coser, five key themes are generated which make a valuable contribution to this gap: complexity of tasks and environments, excessive dedication, strategies of adaptation, costs of adaptation, and strategies of resistance. Academics in Brazil grapple with intricate workloads in environments that often don't bolster their efforts, resulting in blurred boundaries between their professional and personal lives. Some view their roles with a vocational passion or derive pleasure from their tasks, while others are besieged by their professional demands. This dedication can lead to guilt, affecting both personal relationships and well-being. To navigate these challenges, many adopt rigorous planning, yet the perpetual encroachment of work responsibilities can induce exhaustion and health complications. Influenced by significant life events, a segment of academics resorts to strategies emphasizing the delineation between work and leisure, often treating holidays as sacrosanct rest periods. This study underscores the need for self-awareness and individualized strategies to manage work overload while calling for a broader challenge to the prevalent culture of productivism and its ramifications on university life. Underpinning the discussion is the “Health promoting universities” as a possibility for future changes and health promotion for all academic community

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Author Biographies

  • Mayara da Mota Matos, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho

    PhD in Education from Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (2021) with a sandwich period at the University of Lincoln, UK. Master's in Education from Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (2015). She works as an Educational Support Administrator at the Federal University of Alfenas, Poços de Caldas campus. She is interested in the following subjects: higher education, academic boredom, self-efficacy of university lecturers, quality of life and health. Member of the Centre for Studies in Social Cognitive Theory and Teaching Practices at UNESP Rio Claro-SP and of the International Society of Boredom Studies.

  • Rebecca Sanderson, University of Lincoln

    Rebecca is a Lecturer in the School of Education, supporting students on the School’s undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes. A qualitative and mixed methods researcher, she carries out impact evaluation, policy analysis and inclusion research within higher education contexts with a particular focus on disability, mental health and caring responsibilities. Rebecca is also a doctoral candidate within the School of Education at University of Lincoln.

  • Roraima Alves Costa Filho, Municipal Department of Education, Rio Claro, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.

    I am a Physical Education teacher with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education from Centro Universitário Moura Lacerda (2008). I hold a Master's degree (2014) and a Ph.D. (2018) in Motor Sciences from São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP) - Rio Claro campus. I am a specialist in Social Cognitive Theory in Educational Contexts from the University of Campinas - UNICAMP (2015). I am also a Google Certified Innovator (2014), with an interest in classroom teaching applications. I have experience in the field of Physical Education, with an emphasis on school Physical Education, teacher training, and early career teaching. Currently, I am a teacher at the Municipal Department of Education of Rio Claro-SP, teaching Physical Education in Basic Education. I participate as a researcher in the Center for Studies in Social Cognitive Theory and Educational Practices (TSCPE) and collaborate with the Center for Studies and Research in Physical Education - Professional Training and Field of Work (NEPEF-FPCT), investigating the contributions of Social Cognitive Theory to the training and development of teaching careers, particularly in the field of Physical Education.

  • Roberto Tadeu Iaochite, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Rio Claro, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.

    Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education at Sao Paulo State University (1994), Master's degree in Motor Sciences at Sao Paulo State University (1999) and PhD in Education at Campinas  State University (2007).  Post-doctorate in Psychology (Universidade São Francisco). Associate Professor at the Department of Education at the Sao Paulo State University, Rio Claro campus.  Leader of the Center for Studies in Social Cognitive Theory and Educational Practices and has investigated the construct of self-efficacy in the development of a teaching career and in the context of a healthy school.

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Published

2026-09-01

Issue

Vol. 42 No. 42 (2026): v.42

Section

Artigos

License

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How to Cite

DA MOTA MATOS, Mayara; SANDERSON, Rebecca; ALVES COSTA FILHO, Roraima; IAOCHITE, Roberto Tadeu. HOLIDAYS ARE HOLIDAYS, RIGHT? ‘BRAZILIAN LECTURERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES. Educação em Revista , [S. l.], v. 42, n. 42, 2026. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/edrevista/article/view/52864. Acesso em: 17 oct. 2026.