Comments on: The connection between a good job and happiness is overrated http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: mamasmouth.com :: My New Year’s resolution: pay attention :: http://www.mamasmouth.com http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-269382 mamasmouth.com :: My New Year’s resolution: pay attention :: http://www.mamasmouth.com Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:39:35 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-269382 [...] work is simply not going to change how happy you are. That’s not how work works. On the other hand, you do have to be at work for eight hours a day – well, most of us do, in one [...] [...] work is simply not going to change how happy you are. That’s not how work works. On the other hand, you do have to be at work for eight hours a day – well, most of us do, in one [...]

]]> By: mamasmouth.com :: When It’s OK to Take a Pay Cut :: http://www.mamasmouth.com http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-263531 mamasmouth.com :: When It’s OK to Take a Pay Cut :: http://www.mamasmouth.com Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:54:38 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-263531 [...] You are not your salary. You are not worth less in the world because you are paid less in your job. Get your self-worth from a wide range of things and a pay cut won't matter to you. Focus on the components of a good job: learning, personal growth, friends at work, and a good family life. All those things are worth a lot more than a pay cut. [...] [...] You are not your salary. You are not worth less in the world because you are paid less in your job. Get your self-worth from a wide range of things and a pay cut won't matter to you. Focus on the components of a good job: learning, personal growth, friends at work, and a good family life. All those things are worth a lot more than a pay cut. [...]

]]> By: Happiness Articles « Just Help Me http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-262972 Happiness Articles « Just Help Me Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:59:24 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-262972 [...] ↑ http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrate... [...] [...] ↑ http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrate... [...]

]]> By: Salary Cuts Need Not Be So Painful - Savvy Seniors Work http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-262872 Salary Cuts Need Not Be So Painful - Savvy Seniors Work Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:40:17 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-262872 [...] check. Her seven points make us focus on the critical factor here, which is, as she says, “You are not your salary. You are not worth less in the world because you are paid less in your job. Get your self-worth [...] [...] check. Her seven points make us focus on the critical factor here, which is, as she says, "You are not your salary. You are not worth less in the world because you are paid less in your job. Get your self-worth [...]

]]> By: - Expat Life Coach http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-259018 - Expat Life Coach Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:49:52 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-259018 [...] No such thing as a good job they simply do not exist. Stop believing in neatly organized jobs, with bad ones on one side and good ones on the other. Luck and how you work with others define the quality of the job. If you think a ‘good job’ is one that gives you happiness read Penelope Trunk’s piece. [...] [...] No such thing as a good job they simply do not exist. Stop believing in neatly organized jobs, with bad ones on one side and good ones on the other. Luck and how you work with others define the quality of the job. If you think a 'good job' is one that gives you happiness read Penelope Trunk's piece. [...]

]]> By: help i’m alive, my heart is beating like a hammer « beautifully focused http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-256149 help i’m alive, my heart is beating like a hammer « beautifully focused Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:33:26 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-256149 [...] make you feel out of control in terms of your time or your ability to accomplish goals –  but no job will make your life complete. It’s a myth mostly propagated by people who tell you to do what you love. Doing what you [...] [...] make you feel out of control in terms of your time or your ability to accomplish goals –  but no job will make your life complete. It's a myth mostly propagated by people who tell you to do what you love. Doing what you [...]

]]> By: Denver Career Counseling - The pursuit of happiness | Denver Career Counseling http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-253859 Denver Career Counseling - The pursuit of happiness | Denver Career Counseling Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:00:25 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-253859 [...] the “The connection between a good job and happiness is overrated” post on her Brazen Careerist blog, Penelope Trunk cites an Economist magazine article defining [...] [...] the "The connection between a good job and happiness is overrated" post on her Brazen Careerist blog, Penelope Trunk cites an Economist magazine article defining [...]

]]> By: How to Get Your Dream Job in a Bad Market | Freelance and Blogger Jobs World http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-252971 How to Get Your Dream Job in a Bad Market | Freelance and Blogger Jobs World Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:14:32 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-252971 [...] or be happy at work, and usually this notion has no basis in reality. (I’ve written before that jobs do not make people happy and people should not insist on doing what they love for their work.) So if you really do have a [...] [...] or be happy at work, and usually this notion has no basis in reality. (I’ve written before that jobs do not make people happy and people should not insist on doing what they love for their work.) So if you really do have a [...]

]]> By: Shawn Walton http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-251678 Shawn Walton Fri, 20 May 2011 02:14:58 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-251678 I changed the wording a bit but: The traits of work that makes me happy: 1. It stretches me without defeating me 2. It provides clear goals 3. It provides unambiguous feedback 4. It provides a sense of control A. I feeling a little defeated right now B. My Goals and the Company I work for Goal's are too far apart C. I get plenty of feedback but more towards one direction D. I haven’t felt like I had any control since I started Working in the nuclear industry is very demanding. The recent storms have created an even greater challenge to protect the plant, personnel and the public. The hours are normally demanding and recently they have been to the max. In August last year, I was unexpectedly offered a job to run the department that I was supporting as an outage coordinator. I have been in the electrical field for over 20 years now but this new position has just consumed me. I love the work, may be too much. I manage a maintenance shop of 99 employees and delegating task has made this job almost unbearable. I tend to do things myself instead of delegating tasks to offers. I come in early and I stay late. I guess I feel that delegation requires me to relinquish control, which is so difficult for me because I have a high sense of personal responsibility. The Pareto Rule seems to have taken over my life: it is if 80% of my efforts only give me 20% of benefits. Your article came up while googling “Why people are unhappy with their Job”. I find it hard to keep doing this job if it doesn’t bring about some happiness or satisfaction; other than the monetary ones. (The money is all that great, I am blessed) The time away from my family is the biggest issue. My wife of nineteen years is the most caring and passionate women on the earth! I wonder sometime how she does it. My two wonderful boys ages 10 and 4 are the treasures that cannot be replaced. But I have done just that; they one that care about me the most are the ones that are being sacrificed for this job. The desk phone, my emails, my wireless and my pager are constantly asking me for something from this job. This is a GOOD job and I am Happy with the challenges that this job brings, not sure it is worth the cost of my family. So, even though a good job and happiness maybe over-rated by one standard, without controls in place it quickly can cause the happiness that we seek from a job to drive the very ones that you want to share that happiness with; far away. Thanks for the insight as I continue to look for the answer. I changed the wording a bit but:

The traits of work that makes me happy:
1. It stretches me without defeating me
2. It provides clear goals
3. It provides unambiguous feedback
4. It provides a sense of control

A. I feeling a little defeated right now
B. My Goals and the Company I work for Goal's are too far apart
C. I get plenty of feedback but more towards one direction
D. I haven’t felt like I had any control since I started

Working in the nuclear industry is very demanding. The recent storms have created an even greater challenge to protect the plant, personnel and the public. The hours are normally demanding and recently they have been to the max. In August last year, I was unexpectedly offered a job to run the department that I was supporting as an outage coordinator. I have been in the electrical field for over 20 years now but this new position has just consumed me. I love the work, may be too much. I manage a maintenance shop of 99 employees and delegating task has made this job almost unbearable. I tend to do things myself instead of delegating tasks to offers. I come in early and I stay late. I guess I feel that delegation requires me to relinquish control, which is so difficult for me because I have a high sense of personal responsibility. The Pareto Rule seems to have taken over my life: it is if 80% of my efforts only give me 20% of benefits.

Your article came up while googling “Why people are unhappy with their Job”. I find it hard to keep doing this job if it doesn’t bring about some happiness or satisfaction; other than the monetary ones. (The money is all that great, I am blessed) The time away from my family is the biggest issue. My wife of nineteen years is the most caring and passionate women on the earth! I wonder sometime how she does it. My two wonderful boys ages 10 and 4 are the treasures that cannot be replaced. But I have done just that; they one that care about me the most are the ones that are being sacrificed for this job. The desk phone, my emails, my wireless and my pager are constantly asking me for something from this job.

This is a GOOD job and I am Happy with the challenges that this job brings, not sure it is worth the cost of my family. So, even though a good job and happiness maybe over-rated by one standard, without controls in place it quickly can cause the happiness that we seek from a job to drive the very ones that you want to share that happiness with; far away.

Thanks for the insight as I continue to look for the answer.

]]> By: I’m Stealing This From Penelope Trunk « Spinning On That Dizzy Edge http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/comment-page-1/#comment-250424 I’m Stealing This From Penelope Trunk « Spinning On That Dizzy Edge Fri, 22 Apr 2011 23:15:17 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/16/the-connection-between-a-good-job-and-happiness-is-overrated/#comment-250424 [...] a lot of talk about happiness, and how to get it. Of course, I obsess about it on my blog, but, to be clear, I had decided happiness is lame, and we should not be trying [...] [...] a lot of talk about happiness, and how to get it. Of course, I obsess about it on my blog, but, to be clear, I had decided happiness is lame, and we should not be trying [...]

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