Did you love your job five years, ten years, twenty years ago, but find yourself trudging into the office or groaning your way out of bed now? It’s time to fall back in love with your job. You were excited that first week, that first year. Let’s get back there.
Here’s how:
- Put It In Perspective
Did you wake up to 30 emails in your inbox? 50 comments on a document for a single client? It’s important to take pride in your work. It is counter-productive to be a perfectionist. Consult your vision, your mission. What hooked you on the job? Any time you’re feeling particularly frustrated, remember the larger takeaway and step away from the 5th draft of a presentation.
- Picture Your Perfect
If you’ve fallen out of love with your job completely and no longer believe in what your business does, ask yourself why? Do you no longer believe in what you’re doing or what you’re supposed to be accomplishing. If you’ve lost passion for what’s supposed to be happening, maybe it’s time to move along. But if you’re just unhappy with how or what you’re doing everyday, maybe it’s just time to realign either how you take on your position (talk with clients on the phone instead of email) or else what your role is in the company (do you care more about diversity management than project management?) We need to picture our perfect day before we can make it happen.
- Those Who Don’t Ask, Don’t Get Fed
Don’t wait until you resign to tell the truth about why you’re leaving. Instead, if you need a 4 minute break every hour, request it. If there are small systemic changes that could happen during your day to make you happier and more efficient, your superiors are probably willing to work with you. Make asking for what you need a priority.
- Get Real Work Done First
The logistics are necessary, but get in the way. If you spend your 9-5 formatting, cold calling, liaising, or e-mailing, carve out an hour or two to work directly on your bigger purpose. Everyday. And if right now business development and maintenance really does need that whole 8 hours, carve out time in your after hours. It will make all of the logistics worth it in a more tangible, sustainable way.
- Rid Yourself of Annoyances
What do you groan about as you leave your home in the morning? Is there a photo in your office that’s been hanging in the same spot for 5 years? Do you always have a meeting scheduled before you can finish your coffee? Make the time to change your environment. Move furniture, repaint. Inspire yourself with your environment. And if you want to finish that coffee, block out time for multi-tasking in the morning. Leave the client and department meetings until later.
- You are Your Best Investment
Smile. Open doors. Say thank you. Spreading positivity in the office will come back at you, make clients and colleagues more likely to work with you on projects you’re actually passionate about, and get happy endorphins flowing. Fake it if you have to at the beginning. You’ll be surprised how quickly that attitude becomes authentic.
