Balancing the Academic Pillars: Lessons Learned from and for Early-Career Faculty

It is no secret that the success of an academician depends heavily on effective engagement across the 3 pillars: teaching, service, and research and scholarship; however, it can be difficult to navigate how to best manage these pillars. There is limited guidance on how to manage these 3 pillars together, which can contribute to the challenge of excelling across these areas. This commentary will provide lessons learned from early-career faculty to (re)assess and (re)engage with a professional "why" in relation to balancing workload, to ultimately align with one's future roadmap, all while considering institutional needs. The authors aim to clarify the facets of an individual's roles and responsibilities within academia, both personally and those set by the institution, by sharing a framework for how to balance the 3 pillars and convey personalizable strategies for career success.