“I hate everything about my postdoc”

There’s a chance that  you start thinking about your favorite parts of the job, and you come up with “nothing! I hate my postdoc”.

My experience (both personal and when talking to clients) has shown me that many scientists will say they absolutely hate their job when they actually enjoy lots of work-related tasks. But the parts they do not like ends up taking over and colors the whole experience in a very negative light.

This is not about gaslighting you and convincing you your postdoc isn't so bad; it is about finding the energy to make bigger shifts in your life eventually.

When we are in a funk, or our project isn't working, or our boss is being hurtful, it is easy to lose perspective and hate every part of our day. It can also make us feel powerless and lost. And this creates more funk.

One of the keys to get out of this funk is to do more of the things that give you energy and less of the things that take energy away. So give this monitoring exercise a chance:  We will start small, and that will help you regain a feeling of control over your day. Even if you start with 5 minutes!  The effects of this will compound over time.