Feeling Good Tip ~ Is Your Work Contributing to Your Happiness?

Is Your Work Contributing to Your Happiness or Your Stress

According to an online article in Time Magazine, “Karl Pillemer of Cornell University interviewed nearly 1500 people age 70 to 100+ for his book “30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans.” What piece of advice were they more adamant about than any other? More adamant about than lessons regarding marriage, children and happiness? Don’t stay in a job you dislike.

NOTE: There are aspects of every job that are unpleasant. There are aspects of every job that are enjoyable. When the negative aspects outweigh the positive aspects you’ll never be happy in that job. If the positive aspects outweigh the negative aspects you’re in a good place. When I was in academia I found the most posiitive parts of my work were teaching, meeting with students, and the creative aspects of my work (writing, lunches with like minded colleagues, etc.). These positive aspects far outweighed the negative aspects of academic life (endless meetings, colleagues who enjoyed arguing as much as breathing). Take stock of your work. Which aspect of your work has the greater weight: the positive or the negative.