The Great Work Podcast

You do work that means something to you, and to those you serve. Yet the reality — the stress, the expectations, the inadequate systems and supports, the workload, the exhaustion and worry that you carry with you outside of work — aren’t what you signed up for. This month I share nine practical things that you can do (or plan) right now, in just a few minutes: nine things that can make your working life tangibly better.ARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Links: all the links and references are in the email version of this episode: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/nine-ideasStanford rethink stress intervention: https://mbl.stanford.edu/resources/mindset-interventions/rethink-stress-interventionEmail me! [email protected]: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

Evidence-based ways to spend less time online and more in the real world.ARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Links: all the links and references are in the email version of this episode: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/time-onlineSpecific mentions:* Smartphone addiction scale: https://www.healthyscreens.com* One Sec: https://one-sec.app* Rural healthcare webinar: https://ubccpd.ca/learn/learning-activities/rural-rounds-what-actually-works-stress-impostor-syndrome-and-burnoutEmail me! [email protected]: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

The adult error's where, as teenagers, we learn self-discipline — and overshoot. This episode's about how to ensure that we get at least a little guilt-free relaxation every day: it makes us more productive and makes our lives better, too.And a book recommendation and some other stuff.ARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Links: all the links and references are in the email version of this episode: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/adult-errorEmail me! [email protected] I'd love to know what you think.FEEDBACK: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

What if the problem with stress weren’t the stress but, instead, our attitude towards stress—and, if we start thinking about it differently, our pressured lives will be transformed?Or is that idea over-hyped nonsense?ARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Links: all the links and references are in the email version of this episode: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/stress-mindsetEmail me! [email protected]: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

We all make mistakes from time to time. Sometimes they're serious. Yet there's a culture of not talking about them, and this is a problem. So in this episode I tell you candidly about one of my medical errors. There are lessons for anyone who does work that matters and who worries about getting things wrong, or finds it hard to cope when they do.* * *ARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Links: all links and references are in the email version of this episode: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/medical-errorEmail me! [email protected]: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

Six reviews of books that might improve your tough working life. Links are in the email version, which is here: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/book-reviews.* Simone Stolzoff, How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers* Kelly McGonigal, The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It* Selina Barker, Burnt Out: The Exhausted Person’s Six-Step Guide to Thriving in a Fast-Paced World* Bree Groff, Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously)* Kathryn Page, Good Work: Transform Your Work from the Inside Out* Joseph Jebelli, The Brain At Rest: How the Art and Science of Doing Nothing Can Improve Your LifeARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Email me! [email protected]: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

The vacation test: a sign that something needs to change—and an opportunity to figure out what to do.ARE YOU GETTING THE EMAILS? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Links: all the links and references are in the email version, available here: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/vacation-testEmail me! [email protected]: If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

How do people do tough, meaningful work—and even thrive doing it—alongside caring for being a parent or caring for family members? I've unearthed a few strategies!WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE ABOUT THIS?I need your input on this one—as do other Great Work listeners. Join the Great Work chat (https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/dd23f6ab-5185-4da6-921f-d5b616b9d2d3), comment on the written version (https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/caring-responsibilities), or email me at [email protected] YOU GETTING THE EMAILS?Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.FEEDBACKIf you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/surveySTUFF REFERRED TO IN THIS EPISODE• New research on sex differences in occupational distress: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2840686• Exhaustion: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/tired-exhausted-burned-out• Imposter syndrome: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/remember-everyone-else-is-an-imposter• Worrying you've screwed something up: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/remember-everyone-else-is-an-imposter• Middle school teacher article/podcast: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/work-life-lessons-from-a-teacherIN CASE YOU MISSED ITSwanning through the tough week: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/tough-week This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

Are you fine? Is your job fine? Or are you too tired to tell? Three ways exhaustion warps your perspective—and how to fix it.Stuff referred to in this episode:* The importance of rest: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/prioritize-rest* It's often the reaction, not the stuff: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/its-the-reaction-not-the-stuff-f74* Imposter syndrome: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/imposter* When to leaver a job: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/leaving-job* Tired, exhausted, or burned out? https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/tired-exhausted-burned-outAre you getting the emails? Great Work's an email as well as a podcast, with podcast embedded in the emails, so you can choose to read or listen. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.Feedback If you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/survey This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com

Happy, high-functioning teams need to be both kind and businesslike—yet few are. What this means and how to get there.Are you getting the emails?The podcast’s embedded in the emails, which you can read, if you prefer. Sign up (free, easy to unsubscribe) here: https://www.adamsandell.com/newsletter.FeedbackIf you’re willing—you can answer just two questions and it helps me improve this! https://www.adamsandell.com/surveyStuff referred to in this episodeAlmost nothing is a crisis: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/almost-nothing-is-a-crisis-94dThe “once this difficult period is over”/“now’s not the time” fallacy: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/nows-not-the-time-fallacyConsider your options: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/leaving-jobSMART criteria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteriaHave effective meetings: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/good-meetings-existHave difficult conversations: https://letter.adamsandell.com/p/difficult-conversationsConnect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsandell This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letter.adamsandell.com