2w ago

How do I stop having expectations at the workplace?

on my last thread somebody wrote that unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments.

I'm guilty of this, I'm a nurse: after changing units an expectation was that the new one would be one where the physical workload would be evenly distributed. Another expectation and a promise from management was that my new unit would assign a nurse I'd shadow during my first days to get a grip of the unit. The third expectation was that I could do my job and use my downtime to learn.

None of these things are happening.

How do I stop having expectations?

ETA: A problem I see with this approach is: if every job turns out to be shit like this, why even bother? My new attitude should be go to work, work the least possible, fake it, play theatrics to do as little as possible, go home, get paid. No expectations = no disappointments.

But then, why even advance to ICU-nursing, get certifications or study medicine?

19 comments

I'm with you 100%.
You should want to have a good workplace. After all it goes both ways: it will also improve the work you provide.
If that isn't the case rn, you can either try to improve the situation, or, if that proves impossible, change workplaces.
I'm currently in a similar situation; I had a relatively good workplace for many years, but the new one proves challenging. I'm in the trying to improve phase; it's an uphill struggle.
But also trying to improve myself; the current job shows me my own limitations, which are more with my colleagues than with the job itself.
- the current job shows me my own limitations, which are more with my colleagues than with the job itself.
  but ain't this not one of your limitations, but theirs? This sentence makes it look like your coworkers slow you down.
  could you write what your limitations with your coworkers look like? This is to me a very abstract concept.
  
  but ain’t this not one of your limitations, but theirs? This sentence makes it look like your coworkers slow you down.
  That's not what I meant.
  First of all I consider myself a self-reflecting being (a good thing) and sometimes a little too self-critical (not so good).
  I think I'm fairly good at my job per se but it's that meta aspect of dealing with colleagues and (lack of) structure I'm not so good at. Maybe I'm socially awkward, maybe I lack diplomacy, maybe I'm too opinionated. I'm trying to improve there: stop overreacting, think of more constructive ways to communicate etc. Not that I want to stop being opinionated though.
  Also I'm not really career-oriented, there's no "slowing me down".

19 comments