#83 — Can you decide what captures your attention?

Modern society has developed sophisticated means of engaging our attention, often for purposes decidedly against our personal interests.

And in the lab, tasks like calculating reagent concentrations or pipetting multiple samples require a high level of focus to avoid messing up. The more mundane, the harder it can be!

And then there are the competing demands of writing-up and hands-on lab work.

What do you do while you wait for your gel to run? Turn your attention to a different job, check your messages, or start to write up your experiment? In other words, is a short distraction actually helpful or not?

So, is the war already lost, or can we take charge of our attention, especially when it matters most?

In this episode of The Happy Scientist, we explore these important questions.

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Pursuing a career in science often involves challenges and setbacks that are mentally demanding.

While we all grow and learn from these setbacks, the main experience at the time is pain.

But it's crucial to distinguish pain from suffering.

Pain might be an inevitable part of growth and learning, but suffering—deeper distress that's often a consequence of pervasive issues like burnout and imposter syndrome—is not necessary and should be quarantined.

In fact, we could argue that suffering is a barrier to growth because it's an avoidable burden on your mental energy. On the other hand, suffering can build resilience, which is an immense personal asset. So the relationship is not so simple.

In this episode, we think about how scientists can get through pain without succumbing to suffering and consider, if pain is taken to be granted, how much is actually helpful?

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#81 — Periodically directing your gaze inward can clarify your current position, past journey, and future aspirations.

In this episode of The Happy Scientist, explore the vital practice of taking a self-inventory.

Hear how to conduct this introspection effectively—steering clear of overly positive illusions, harsh self-criticism, and potential disappointment.

Plus, get practical strategies for maintaining a balanced and honest self-assessment.

What you learn will ultimately foster personal growth and resilience in your scientific career and ensure continuous progress without overwhelming yourself.

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Ever feel a mix of frustration and nostalgia when you see new faces in the lab, fresh and full of questions?

Are you the kind of person who takes them under your wing, or does their naivety annoy you and get in the way of your lab work?

It’s easy to forget that we all started somewhere, and mentoring these budding scientists is the key to advancing not only their careers but also science as a whole.

In this episode of The Happy Scientist, we explore the vital role of mentorship in the lab.

Discover how you can become an effective guide for the next generation of scientists, the benefits of sharing your knowledge and experience, and the surprising ways mentorship can enrich your own professional journey.

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Naked ambition is a powerful characteristic, yet it can easily become overpowering—for you and your colleagues.

This could endanger your work connections and harm your reputation, especially in situations where teamwork is highly valued.

In this episode of The Happy Scientist, explore the potent quality of ambition and how to use it most effectively to create accomplishment regarding tasks, projects, and career advancement.

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#78 — In this episode of The Happy Scientist, we dive into the emotional patterns that hinder the smooth operation of any to-do list system.

These emotional barriers can sabotage even the most well-crafted to-do lists.

Let's get to the root of these emotional barriers and empower you to work more effectively.

Join us as we explore the psychological factors that influence our productivity and learn strategies to overcome them.

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Is your to-do list downstream of your work style, or your work style downstream of your to-do list?

Do you prefer to write down everything you need to do for the day and then execute as many tasks as possible?

Or do you prefer to get stuck in for the day, and then decide what you need to do?

Your to-do list is your daily plan and sometimes an alarm clock. It gets you closer to your objectives by defining tasks. But, to be effective, it needs to match your working style and define what you actually need to get done. (Yes, what you need to get done and want to get done are very different!)

Let's get your to-do list working for you.

In this episode of The Happy Scientist, we examine different practical ways to tailor your to-do lists to your work style.

You will come away from this episode with easy wins to boost your productivity without significantly changing your approach to your work routine.

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#76 — At the heart of the scientific method lies the idea that perspectives are not static—they evolve, shift, and intersect as we tackle scientific problems from different perspectives and uncover new ground truths.

Yet, for most of us, daily science boils down to fine details such as the particulars of experimental design, the caveats to our experiments, producing enough data to satisfy the boss, exporting your data in the correct format, and leaving the instrument ready for the next user.

The list really does go on. And each item is a valid thing to focus on, depending on your perspective.

But how do you maintain clarity amidst these particulars?

If your project involves analyzing a bunch of numbers, how do you avoid the pitfalls of narrow-mindedness and tunnel vision?

And if you were unfettered by so many details and particulars, what would the top research priority be?

In this episode, we look up instead of down and refresh the importance of thinking from different perspectives to avoid tunnel vision and keep your mind open to fresh ideas.

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#75 — We're told from a young age that patience is a virtue. But does that hold up to scrutiny?

In some respects, it seems so, given that impatience can be annoying to experience and make you unbearable to the people you're waiting on.

But what are the consequences of excessive patience? Does it become a pathological trait that results in excess tolerance and forbearance, which, in turn, stop you from getting what you want and perhaps make you afraid to stand up for yourself?

And remember, science is about defending your ideas and speaking up when you think something is wrong. Plus, whether we like it or not, science as a job and industry can be extremely competitive.

So, what can you do that gets you the benefits of patience without giving in to concession? Can you turn it on and off like a tap to get what you want? That's what we'll explore in this episode of The Happy Scientist.

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#74 — How we feel about completing certain tasks and the people they involve have a massive impact on whether or not we do those tasks or how quickly and carefully we get them done.

You know—when a job involves dealing with that person, sending that email, or dealing with that instrument. Or when your stress levels build up so much that you lay out a heap of things you want done and tell everyone involved in an ill-tempered way.

And we all respond differently to people who nag, condescend, and micromanage—and most of us will put off situations that risk showing gaps in our abilities, even if it's to our detriment. The combination of these ultimately dictates what makes it onto our to-do list.

But should they?

What would happen if you could become aware of these often rational but unhelpful emotional responses?

Could it make you more productive, more dependable, and more influential? Would it give you the experience and confidence to handle uncomfortable situations?

In this episode of The Happy Scientist, we examine how our feelings about completing certain tasks impact our planning process and to-do list and explore the helpful traits we can gain by moving past these feelings.

Watch or Listen to all episodes of The Happy Scientist podcast here: https://thehappyscientist.bitesizebio.com

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If you enjoyed this episode and want more practical tips on being a happy and successful scientist, we can help. Download The Happy Scientist Reference Pack today, and reignite your passion for science.

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