It gets better.
Don't get me wrong; it isn't that things get easier. Professors are still overworked and (especially at PUIs) underpaid.
But it does get better.
When I first started teaching, it took me about four hours (sometimes more!) to prepare a one-hour lecture. Now my prep time is a third of that. Sure, the "free" time is now filled with committee work, various meetings, and research.... but that sure beats staring at a textbook, willing everything to fall into place for the morning's lecture.
Today was one of those days where I surprised myself with how efficient I can be. It's nice to have a measure of how far I've come since my first day on the job. How do you measure your progress?
