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(This essay will appear in the winter issue of the University of Dayton Magazine.)

"I'm pregnant!"

When you're making an important announcement, a quip can defuse the tension.

After my colleagues laughed loudly, I shared the real news: I was leaving my job to devote more energy to writing and special projects - in a part-time role, in an effort to find that elusive work-life balance. I've lost count of the number of people who have expressed their envy.

Before longtime University of Dayton President Brother Ray Fitz took a chance and promoted a 29-year-old newcomer, he asked me, "Can you make a commitment?"

I've had the opportunity to help shape the public image of two outstanding presidents, hire gifted creative people, interview the biggest names in school history and announce virtually every major UD news story in a quarter of a century. I'm humbled by the experience and deeply grateful for the trust bestowed on me.

It's been the best job anyone could ever hope to hold. Still, I will not miss middle-of-the-night phone calls about what one of my favorite administrators euphemistically called "special events" - a little havoc in the student neighborhood.

It's time to write the next chapter.

Or maybe it's time to pause, reflect and rewrite the definition of "work."

Here's what I learned since quitting my job.

#1: We long for balance in our lives. I received hundreds of emails and Facebook comments, and that theme pervades. We all want more time in our lives - for our family, for our friends, for our passions. "I know so many people who are just drained," said one journalist friend with twin daughters.

#2: This yearning doesn't come from just my stressed-out women friends. Men, too, see greater balance. "(I'm still) figuring out for the rat race's exit ramp," wrote a younger male friend.

#3: Work is life. A friend pointed me to an essay by Carolyn Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services. "There is so much of me that has grown through work. It is the place where I put my values to the test. … Was I worthy of the trust put in me? Did I pause to let grace have a chance?" she wrote for the Catholic News Service.

I realize how blessed I am to work for a president and vice president who believe I can continue to contribute to the University's mission and momentum - and are willing to allow me more time for other pursuits.

Observation #4: Our lives are a calling.

"Can you make a commitment?" a university president once asked me. Today, I realize why it's still so easy to say with confidence, "Yes."

- Teri Rizvi

Teri Rizvi, founder of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, stepped down as associate vice president for University communications at the University of Dayton in October 2013. She's currently executive director of communications strategies, a part-time role that allows her more time to write and to work with a planning committee of creative people - writers, marketing experts and a graphic designer - on shaping the upcoming Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop.