Academic Medicine Open Forum

1. Choose well. Make rational, informed career decisions, based on the things that really matter to you.
2. Embrace job crafting. You can control how you approach the job you have. Embrace the flexibility to do it differently or more efficiently.
3. Don’t waste time with inept bosses. They won’t change. If you have tried everything, and are still waiting for your boss to “get coached” or get better, consider looking for a new boss.
4. Let go when you have to. Enduring adversity to a painful point is useless. Don’t stay in a dismal or alienating job if you have better options.
5. Lower your expectations. Dissatisfaction can be a mismatch between expectations and outcomes. Consider whether your expectations are unrealistic, or not commensurate with your effort.

Read more about this in “How to love your job according to science,” Fast Company (may require subscription).

Do any of these factors resonate with you?

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Penny Schnarrs
Virtual Communities Program Manager
Association of American Medical Colleges
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The "Lower Your Expectations" guidance is something that resonates with me...and that has been a work-in-progress project for many years. When I find myself disappointed in others, the work, the world, etc. I re-read this short article: Toss Your Expectations in the Ocean and it refreshes my commitment to "the project" that is me. :-) I hope someone else can gain something valuable from this.

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Tera Lessard
Learning Design Consultant
Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-14-2022 09:06
From: Penny Schnarrs
Subject: Tip Tuesday: 5 ways to be happier in your job or career

There are a lot of variables-most of which are outside of our control-that contribute to a person's job satisfaction, engagement, and performance. Some are personality based, some are circumstantial (educational background, race, gender).

Organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic suggests, though, that there are some factors we can control that might contribute to us being happier with our job:

1. Choose well. Make rational, informed career decisions, based on the things that really matter to you.
2. Embrace job crafting. You can control how you approach the job you have. Embrace the flexibility to do it differently or more efficiently.
3. Don't waste time with inept bosses. They won't change. If you have tried everything, and are still waiting for your boss to "get coached" or get better, consider looking for a new boss.
4. Let go when you have to. Enduring adversity to a painful point is useless. Don't stay in a dismal or alienating job if you have better options.
5. Lower your expectations. Dissatisfaction can be a mismatch between expectations and outcomes. Consider whether your expectations are unrealistic, or not commensurate with your effort.

Read more about this in "How to love your job according to science," Fast Company (may require subscription).

Do any of these factors resonate with you?

------------------------------
Penny Schnarrs
Virtual Communities Program Manager
Association of American Medical Colleges
------------------------------