I think the first of the year is prime time for work frustration and dissatisfaction. People are trying to get used to the idea of going back to work after the holidays, or still resenting the fact that they didn’t get time off over the holidays. There are stresses built into systems and organizations where we work, and  there are individual vulnerabilities inside each of us. Improvements in either of these areas can make a huge difference in how we experience work.

The performance of medical staff, for example, seems to improve as the staff are able to address a few basic emotional questions. I want to discuss those questions here. Maybe I can focus on other occupations in future posts.

I want to point out that when I call them “basic” questions, I mean that they are important, universal, and foundational, not necessarily easy or trivial.

What right do I have to be here?

The “impostor syndrome” is that feeling  that if other people only knew my faults like I did, I would be “found out” and have to leave. What do I do about the fact that I have faults and short-comings, even bad habits? When taken together as a whole picture, warts and all, am I still acceptable, even valuable here? Or am I  just lucky no one has noticed yet? If I have settled this question, I can be properly assertive and focus on the task at hand instead of being anxious.


Do I have an impact on the future?

Does life just come at me ? Am I helpless in the face of oncoming obstacles, just hoping they don’t hit me? Are there things I can do today that can change something about tomorrow or next year? If I settle this question, I don’t have to be cynical or hopeless.

What information do I trust?

I see things, hear things. People talk. There are rumors and accusations and interactions to be interpreted. What is the reality here? How can I verify it? If I settle this question, I will be more stable in the chaos around me.

Am I doing what I’m put on earth to do?

Do I have something unique to offer? Am I able to offer it here? Am I getting any traction, or spinning my wheels? Is what I am doing satisfying to me because it feels like it has a purpose that fits me? If I settle this question, I can find satisfaction even when my hospital or employer is floundering.

Can I make good decisions?

What about those times when I am the one who has to make the decision? Can I do it? What will others think?  What if other people think I am wrong? What if I am wrong? Is this particular decision one that I should make on my own or should I find someone to ask? What if I disagree with their answer? If I can settle this question, I will not feel resentful as if I am at the mercy of others.

There is work to do in settling these questions. But it starts with knowing these questions and realizing how important they are. How are you answering them on the job? Your well-being at work could depend on it.

Dr. David Hamilton is a clinical psychologist at the Christian Counseling Center of West Michigan

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