What do you do to lift your spirits when your job gets you down?

Ask a Biologist Monday 11/20/23

Answers from Biologists:

• Take a sick day to go out on the trails.

• Take a short walk to get out of that environment for a bit and focus on the parts I enjoy.

• Talk to my friends outside of Biology and remember that good jobs exist outside this field too.

• Take a day for myself to get outside and to make something (crafty or cooking).

• Time away or working with kids. It helps to see the next generation getting excited about nature.

• Tell myself that I could have had a boring office job and that I’m lucky I get to work with animals.

• Get outside, wildlife watch, stop to smell the roses and remember why I do this.

• Try to find a school group to talk to. Watching kids discover nature makes me happy.

• Scream to Boygenius as I drive home.

• Try to remember dreaming of being a Biologist when younger then I remind myself I got there.

• Play with my dogs.

• If I’m out doing fieldwork, just sit down for awhile and enjoy where I am.

• Read an inspiring book.

• Run!

• Remember how long I spent imagining I could be doing this and the hard work it took to get here.

• Play video games, have fun with my kid, or grab coffee with a friend.

• Watch the interactions of animals I work with. They can always make me smile.

• Vent to a friend.

• I think about the alternatives.

• Remember how lucky I am to be in a field I love so much.

• Go for a hike in the woods. It relaxes my brain and reminds me why I do this work.

• Go home.

• Count how many weeks left in my seasonal appointment and remember someday I go home.

• Go outside. It reminds me of the best parts of my job.

• Talk to my biologist friends. They can commiserate and make me feel better.

• Change up my focus as work for the day. If one thing isn’t working, I do something else.