Many people have jobs that simply don’t get excited to go to every day. They dread the job, the work they do, their co-workers, commute and salary. It makes them miserable at work and at home.
Getting a new job isn’t always the easiest answer, especially in today’s tough job market.
How can you stay happy at work? Here are some tips from passion catalyst Curt Rosengren, author of 101 Ways to Get Wild About Work, and a speaker and career coach whose mission is to help people love their work and change their world in a way that feels personally meaningful to them.
Take stock
First things first, take stock of the good, the bad and the ugly in the current situation. When you’re dissatisfied with your work, it can be tempting to paint the whole thing with a big negative brush. But for most people it’s probably a mixture of good and bad. Most people are able to find some things they like about their job – however small – if they really stop to look.
Make a laundry list of things you like about the job. Maybe you like one specific aspect of the work you do, or you like the people you work with, or they have really good coffee. Whatever you see as positive, add it to the list.
Then make a laundry list of things you dislike. If you’re unhappy with the work, this one is probably going to be a bit easier.
By breaking the job down into positive and negative pieces, you give yourself more to work with. Look at each of the things on the positive list and ask, “How can I bring more of this into the picture?” Then look at each of the items on the negative list and ask, “How can I reduce this, or eliminate it altogether?” You might not be able to work miracles, but you might be surprised just how much potential there is to sculpt your job in the right direction, especially over time.
Kick the negative habit
If you’ve fallen into any kind of habit of complaining about the work, the company, the commute, your boss, your cubicle, the lousy coffee, whatever – STOP! You’re never going to complain yourself happy. You’re only reinforcing what you don’t like and making an active choice to wallow in the muck.
Build a positive habit
Try doing an end-of-day review every day with one simple question: “What did I like about today?” Sometimes, it really is all about what you choose to focus on.
Do a 360-degree energy audit
You don’t work in a silo. What is happening in the rest of your life has an effect on how you feel at work. Do a 360-degree energy audit of your life. Outside of work, what gives you energy? What depletes it? How can you bring more of what energizes you into the picture? How can you minimize the things that drain you.
Take a look at areas like diet and exercise (or lack of it), relationships, free time availability (or absence), hobbies and leisure activities, community involvement, etc.
The more energized you feel by the rest of your life, the more energy you’ll bring to the job.
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Comments
And I have a job that sucks. I don't if this article will take the suckiness out of my job, but it sure is something to read further into. Thanks
I am unemployed. Your "Laundry Lists" could show ways to improve one's life, not just one's job. Thanks for a suggestion that sounds like it would do some good.
To add to the tip of “What did I like about today?," I would also suggest asking yourself "What are five things I'm grateful for today? and "What are five things I give myself credit for today"?
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