Be Thankful, be Proud!

As academics, we often juggle multiple tasks. We’re driven by deadlines and constantly feel behind. This can lead to burnout. To combat this, take regular breaks, reflect on your achievements, and celebrate your accomplishments. If you tend to feel like an imposter or, in general, negative about your work, incorporate this ritual to boost your confidence and gratitude. Here’s how I celebrate my achievements and express gratitude on a daily basis.

Be thankful

While running from one meeting to the next, fighting through hundreds of emails and firefighting, we often miss little acts of kindness people afford us. Maybe there’s somebody in the admin team who got out of the way to help you solve a problem, or maybe there’s a more senior researcher who gave you useful advice, or there’s a student in a lecture that told you that you really inspired them.

It’s important to recognise these moments. You are not alone. People help you. People support you. Most people want you to succeed and you do make a positive impact in the world.

As part of my morning ritual, I sit down and think about three things that I am grateful for. This means these are things that are/were out of my control. The rule is that they have to be different every day. Maybe on day one you are happy that you’re healthy, that you don’t live in a country with war–really big things–but over time you have to go down to the details of your live. It’s the little things we often overlook. But it’s also the little things that connect us.

A part of being grateful is also to show it to people. Say thank you even if it’s “their job” to support! If they helped you a lot, you can give them also small presents. Maybe some cookies that you baked or some sweets. Another great way to say thank you is a handwritten thank you note. You will be surprised how much people appreciate that.

Part of being grateful is also to cultivate talking positively about people who do a great job. Too many people only comment when something goes wrong. When things go smoothly, especially due to someone's extra effort, acknowledge it! Thank them and, even more importantly, tell others. 

Be proud

In a similar fashion, it's important to recognise your own achievements. Too often, we jump from one item on the to-do list to the next. Carve out space and time to reflect and appreciate your own hard work. 

I include this as part of my morning ritual. I think of three things that I am proud of. These are achievements that were mostly mine and under my control. The key is to choose something different every day. While you start out with big wins in your career, over time, you will need to delve into details, focusing on seemingly small successes. However, they are the building blocks of your great victories. Your big achievements are not accomplished by meeting one deadline, but by persistently working on your goals over weeks, months, or even years.

Note that achievements are not always obvious successes, like the acceptance of a paper or a successful funding application—they are often out of our control anyway. Focus on what is truly under your control. This includes submissions of articles or proposals, finishing a difficult task, doing something that you have procrastinated on, success in sticking to your routine, and so on. The longer you do this exercise on a daily basis, the more you will see how small steps build bigger pictures of success. This is incredibly empowering.

Make sure you also cultivate a sense of pride in your research group. I have a slide at the beginning of every group meeting listing our recent achievements. These are not only accepted publications or received funding, but also the submission of an article, PhD thesis, or proposal, as well as outreach work, nominations for awards, interviews, media attention, invitations to talks, and so on—in general, any recognition of the hard work of our group members.

In my workshops, I have learned that some groups play a specific song (e.g., "We Are the Champions" by Queen) when they submit a paper. I haven’t done this in my group, but I could imagine it working nicely for a lab with a space that is not shared with others—just your group. Maybe there’s a bell you ring or a gong you strike—make it fun to achieve milestones!

Make it part of your day

Being thankful and proud should become a habit. It helps boost your confidence and fosters appreciation of your network and colleagues. It makes your work life much more enjoyable. It also motivates you because you can see the progress you’re making. Additionally, it encourages you to take more risks, since you feel supported.

The power of thinking deeply every day about your achievements and what you are thankful for grows over time. As mentioned above, since you cannot repeat the same three things over and over again, you eventually have to focus on smaller things. This will change your perspective. Happiness isn’t found in the big achievements; while they are thrilling, that feeling doesn’t last. It’s much more sustainable to enjoy the ride and be highly successful (almost) as a side effect.

A good way to make it a habit is to do it as part of your morning ritual or work day wind-down. Personally, I do it in the morning. This helps me focus the most and gets me motivated for the day. However, if it works better for you at the end of the workday, do it then. The important part is to make it a daily exercise. If that isn’t possible, at least reserve some time once a week.

Use software to help

Some people use journal applications like DayOne (which is subscription-based). But you can also use simple note apps like Apple Notes ,or a text file, or Notion with all its features. Some people prefer to handwrite in a journal. You want a version that works best for you.

I have also written a little TextExpander snippet [download link]. It generates a template for me so I don’t have to type the same words every day (see screenshot). It automatically calculates today’s date, followed by a list of things I am grateful for and proud of. Since I do this during my morning routine, I also add my three top-priority tasks that I want to work on today (see Rule of Three and Eat the Frog). This helps me to stay focused on the important tasks.

I also have a final point where I write down something I liked about my wife that day. You can adapt your TextExpander snippet to what works best for you.

Do it with others

If you have children, this ritual is a great way to engage them and learn about what they like. It also helps them become more confident and focus on their achievements.

By the way, you can also do it with your research group and in supervision meetings. Teach people to see the good side of research too, especially when they tend to be anxious or worry a lot.

What is your approach?

Do you have a similar approach? Maybe you have software that you use for journaling. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below! I would love to hear about your tips and tricks!

Work Smart and be Remarkable!

Have a great day!

- Helmut