Align career, life goals to avoid career blues

Published on August 4, 2010

You are one of the lucky few – working in your chosen field, doing the job you wanted. Your career is blossoming and you are happy, satisfied and challenged. But only till recently…..

After 12 years of 14-hour workdays, you realise that slowly a crippling uneasiness is creeping in. Unfortunately, your work has lost its spark and you feel bored, weary, stifled or even saturated in turns. You find yourself dragging your feet at work and increasingly start just putting in the hours. You are not happy anymore.

Well, all of us experience mild ups and downs in our career as the initial enthusiasm fades away and have to simply ride out the monotony. But, a protracted frustration that leaves you disengaged, discontent and downright miserable is another ballgame altogether.

Such a career plateau is termed as ‘mid-career crisis'. More common among high-achievers, this malady raises its ugly head due to a yawning gap between the career you want and the one you have. The ‘inflicted' are no longer sure they are in the right job; in fact they hate their job but don't know what to do about it!

The most common reason is that bright-eyed youngsters eagerly lap up buzzing jobs and scale dizzying heights in rapid succession. But as they reach mid-life (early 30's to late 40's) and grasp the need for meaning, they realise that something is sorely missing.

The culprit is that they failed to align their career goals with their life goals. And now all they want is to give it all up and retire! But alas, they are stuck for many more years.

To quote a top writer, “Mid-career crisis, like a mid-life crisis, doesn't necessarily have definite triggers. It can be a result of an individual's emotional needs, the environment he operates in or a combination of both.”

So, if you unfortunately happen to be experiencing a mid-career crisis, think: can you actually spend say, the next 15 years feeling disillusioned, cynical, irritable and depressed?

Create the life you want…..

Corrective action begins with proactively recognising that something is wrong. Instead of gloomily wallowing in your ‘misfortune', sit down and take stock of your life and analyse your career. Introspect carefully to identify what is important to you, what you really want and why it is missing. Think in terms of your abilities, interests, talents and potential and whether they actually match with your work.

Now you have to take the initiative to change what is needed. Make a plan to reignite your career passion, energy and enthusiasm. Try to think of new avenues to enhance your work and revitalise your career. You can discuss it with your boss/supervisor and propose concrete suggestions. Even they may offer some helpful options of their own. Making small changes like restructuring your work, flexitime, additional responsibilities, new work team, cross-functional experience or a lateral transfer can make a world of difference. Else, you can look to further your education or avail training programmes to upgrade your skills. Even mentoring a younger co-worker or taking up an outside hobby begets a change in your perspective about your own work. And very soon you will be raring to go all over again.

On the other hand, at times you may not find any new opportunities in your own organisation or the changes may not work for you because you have actually outgrown your job.

Or else, there is a yawning disconnect between what you want and what you have. The only solution then is to shift gears and leap into something entirely different. Changing direction with a new career can be the catalyst to a more fulfilling and happy life.

But, a mid-life career change is a very frightening prospect indeed. Do not think in terms of ‘too late' or ‘too old'. Instead, concentrate on identifying your true strengths and analyse your activities/interests outside of work. Build on them by grasping new possibilities and blow the mid-career blues away!

As it has been rightly said, “Instead of fitting your life in to your job, find ways to extend the longevity of your career by fitting your job into your life!”

Payal Chanania

Build ability to appreciate before you complain

Published on July 21, 2010

It's natural human tendency – we are never satisfied with what we have! Its always about a bigger house, a new car, a better job, the latest gadget and so on. At work, we hanker for a superior position, higher pay, extra perks, better projects, more authority…the list is quite endless.

Nothing is ever enough, its always about more, and we are totally caught up in what we don't have! Even the grumbling over our woes and tribulations – some legitimate, mostly perceived – knows no end.

Instead of constantly dwelling on such negativity, how about pausing a while to step back and trying to appreciate what we do have! It's all about recognising and enjoying the things in your life that you have been taking for granted. This requires a conscious effort to appreciate even the small stuff on a daily basis, but once you are on the track you will realise that there are loads of good things which you have been overlooking. This may sound quite profound and preachy, but when you sit down and compare your lot to others less fortunate – lo and behold, you may actually find that you are indeed luckier than most. It's just that you have not realised it yet!

Think of it this way - you may not drive a Mercedes, but at least you have a car. You may not be a jet-setting executive, but at least you have a job (what about those unfortunate ones out job-hunting on the streets!). Moreover, while you hate your work, it is that itself which provides structure and substance to your life.

So why not literally stop to smell the flowers and see the beauty of life! This will teach you to be truly thankful for what you have and also treasure it all the more.

Learning to appreciate what you have is in fact a great way to live life. Not only is it empowering - granting you both the confidence and ability to achieve what you want - but also helps you to actually be happy while you strive to attain your dreams.

As the teachings of Abraham Hicks expound, “By spending your focus on appreciating what you do have, you will allow the things that you desire to come to you. In contrast, when you focus on negative things, you are creating resistance and blocking the things you desire from coming into your life. Appreciating what is all around you is what lifts all resistance and allows your desires to manifest into your life.” Hence you can achieve that six-figure salary tomorrow even while revelling in what you have today!

You still have to be prepared for disappointments and pitfalls as adversity is a part and parcel of every life. But it still depends on your perspective. No matter how bad things are, you should think that they could still be worse. This drastic change in your thinking will empower you to play up what you have now and thus make the most of it. So, build the ability to appreciate before time forces you to appreciate what you used to have.

After all, most of us don't realise how good something was till we lose it!

Payal Chanania

Office is not just about furniture, It's about image

Published on September 29, 2010

Run-of-the-mill offices with grey cubicles, stiff-backed chairs and off-putting desks are passé. Enter the modern workspace as stylish work environments are fast replacing the once strictly utilitarian office decor. And the good news is that this transformation is not just restricted to the C-suites and corner offices either!

Yes, providing inspiring office desking solutions with an aesthetic yet practical bent is the need of the hour, which almost no organisation can afford to ignore.

Think about it – employees spend most of their waking hours at work and that too most of the times stuck behind dull desks in boring cubicles. The least they are entitled to is a quality work atmosphere in their everyday functional space.

Outfitting the office in warm, inviting and professional decor will bring a valuable payback too. Employees are bound to work longer, harder and better leading to increased productivity and efficiency. Creativity and positive work attitude will multiply manifold too.

In fact, a recent survey estimated that employees could increase the amount of work by 22 per cent if they had a better-designed workplace! Moreover, an office is not just about furniture, its about an image. A pleasing and ambient work atmosphere creates the all-important positive first impression that can attract customers and win the clients' business. As someone rightly observes, “In those few moments when you first experience the ambience and working environment of your potential supplier or business partner you subconsciously start to make the decision of whether or not to employ their services or buy their product”.

Ambience angle: Workplace infrastructure design has a tall order – it should be productive, comfortable, employee-friendly as well as create a pleasing ambience.

A unique look and feel can be achieved through various means like state-of-the-art designs and floor-to-ceiling windows or even simpler options like green plants, serene waterfalls and aquariums that will be both pleasing to the eye and also create positive energy all around.

Apart from the aesthetics, adequate attention should be paid to lighting, temperature and noise so as to enable employees to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. It goes without saying that a reasonable temperature should be maintained and extra noise filtered out as it can affect the quality of work. A proper lighting arrangement with sufficient brightness is a pre-requisite that can even be used to add style and character to the workplace.

Next comes the furniture design, construction and layout. Choose comfortable, durable and ergonomically appropriate furniture in wood, steel or glass. Everything from desks, chairs, cubicles, file cabinets and shelves to even reception and conference room furniture should be selected based on posture, access, clearance, reach and vision of the end-user. Ensure that the colour theme matches the furniture accordingly while not overlooking other factors such as texture or flooring.

Blending matters: A planned approach for the design and layout is advisable so that each and every space can be properly utilised. Again the move is away from dark, enclosing cubicles towards low-walled partitions for the work-stations that bring people together and encourage them to work in harmony. There should also be other work settings like informal meeting rooms, open work areas and communal spaces that promote collaborative interaction, knowledge sharing and innovation.

A rule of thumb – aim for a good blend of functional and attractive as too much of one might kill the other.

Apart from this, workplace design should ideally be tailored according to the goals, objectives, culture, work practices of the organisation and even the job functions and demographic of the employees. For instance, one forward-thinking company customised the workspaces for its 85 per cent female workforce with desks with cubbies for shoes, a mirror and other personal items. Even Google offices are celebrated for their unconventional workspaces that foster unbridled creativity and innovation.

To sum up, offices should be tastefully decorated and furnished with good quality furniture to create an elegant, subdued, organised and relaxing work ambience that is also in keeping with the company identity so that employees actually enjoying doing their work.

Yet, redesigning sleek and sophisticated workspaces comes with a heavy price tag. Deem it a sound investment as the professional touch will create immense value not only as a recruitment, motivation and retention tool but also serves well for attracting and impressing customers!

Payal Chanania

Obvious brownnosing is a sure reputation killer

Published on October 6, 2010

There are some people who will do just about anything to look good in the boss' eyes. From gushing ‘ You are the best boss anyone can ever have' to bringing him lunch to emitting a belly laugh at his weakest jokes to offering exaggerated compliments over just about anything be it his looks, clothes or ideas. The ingratiating behaviour extends to spending more time chatting with the boss than actually working and agreeing with him over everything to even mimicking his mannerisms or working style.

But such obvious brownnosing is more likely to kill your reputation and respect in the office than get you anywhere. These acts will most likely brand you as sneaky and manipulative who cannot be trusted. What's more, unabashedly worshipping the ground he walks on is not likely to blindside your boss for long either. Most bosses suspect a hidden agenda in the insincere attitude thus drowning out your ambitions.

And you are left wondering ‘what did I do wrong' – after all even various experts agree that some buttering up is essential for getting ahead in the workplace. Moreover, scores of people have won best projects, plum raises and quick promotions by virtue of their relationship with the boss!

Well, currying favour is a slippery path indeed. You have to master the art of ‘getting into the good books' to be able to move ahead and that too with your respect and reputation intact. Instead of fawning all over the boss in an unconvincing manner, a more restrained approach coupled with quality performance and good communication will actually get you what you want.

Here are a few tips on the same:

Be liberal with compliments: Do not hesitate to praise your boss, but do ensure that the flattery is specific, sincere and believable. Generously share credit even over your achievements without going overboard. A business writer advices, “Do not express admiration directly. Instead you can couch a compliment in a question by asking, How were you able to pull off that strategy so successfully?

It goes without saying that what everyone wants to look good, especially those in top positions. Therefore, your job is to impart genuine recognition to your boss at every opportunity especially in front of his supervisors, but without looking like a brown-noser. As Linda Pophal, author of Human Resource Essentials points out, “If you can make your manager look good, you'll look good.” Also, ensure that you never show up, correct or criticise your boss or even try to make yourself look good at his expense.

Make yourself valuable: Volunteer a helping hand to the boss and try to lessen his job load whenever possible. You can subtly make yourself indispensable by regularly updating him on industry news, offering creative ideas and helpful solutions to problems, taking on extra responsibilities or helping him to realise personal goals. Here again take care that you do not go out of your way to often as it can easily be construed as currying favour!

Show that you are enthusiastic about your work and want to improve your performance by asking for constructive input/feedback on your work. Seeking advice on the best way to tackle tough projects and asking intelligent, meaningful questions on the job intricacies is bound to earn the boss' admiration. “The ultimate compliment is to ask for your boss' advice”, says Terri Levine, author of Work Yourself Happy.

Maintain effective and ongoing communication by discussing your work in a clear and concise manner. Make it a point to share pertinent information and demonstrate your value so that you always remain visible to the higher-ups.

Quality counts: Last but not the least; nothing can impress a boss more than quality work and consistent performance. Endeavour to do the job to the best of your ability and concentrate on advancing the team goals. Be a professional, dependable, honest, ethical and high-achieving employee who treats everyone fairly, respects seniors and contributes to the overall success of the organisation.

In this manner, you will genuinely appeal to the sensibilities of your boss and win his admiration. That too with your self-esteem intact as the recognition, praise and favour is well-earned.

Payal Chanania