Published on Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007
Do you snooze the alarm clock eight times every morning and still pull up the covers hoping that the day would just melt away? Does even the mere thought of work inspire dismay and misery galore?
On a rational note, no job is utterly blissful that it makes you bound out of bed all the time (lucky are those that do!). In fact, a recent survey reveals that 87 per cent people don’t like their jobs. Although every job does come with its shar e of ups and downs, it should not inspire total horror or abhorrence either.
While it may definitely seem so sometimes, work is not a synonym for ‘serving time’! It can be annoying or intolerable intermittently, but is also immensely gratifying at times.
If someone is stuck in a lousy job, the loathing not only leads to stress, absenteeism and lower productivity, but also drastically impacts the rest of the employee’s life. Therefore, if you catch yourself getting the blues every time you head for office, it is time to take matters into your own hands. After all, everyone deserves to be happy at work!
On a rational note, no job is utterly blissful that it makes you bound out of bed all the time (lucky are those that do!). In fact, a recent survey reveals that 87 per cent people don’t like their jobs. Although every job does come with its shar e of ups and downs, it should not inspire total horror or abhorrence either.
While it may definitely seem so sometimes, work is not a synonym for ‘serving time’! It can be annoying or intolerable intermittently, but is also immensely gratifying at times.
If someone is stuck in a lousy job, the loathing not only leads to stress, absenteeism and lower productivity, but also drastically impacts the rest of the employee’s life. Therefore, if you catch yourself getting the blues every time you head for office, it is time to take matters into your own hands. After all, everyone deserves to be happy at work!
From sour to sweet
The job may be terrible and horrid. It may make you feel hopeless, disgruntled, angry, frustrated or downright miserable. But switching jobs is not always the best solution. In fact, most of us cannot even afford to quit (or change our jobs too often). Face it, the next job may just prove worse than the current one. Instead of bailing out too fast, go through a checklist before making a radical shift.
The job may be terrible and horrid. It may make you feel hopeless, disgruntled, angry, frustrated or downright miserable. But switching jobs is not always the best solution. In fact, most of us cannot even afford to quit (or change our jobs too often). Face it, the next job may just prove worse than the current one. Instead of bailing out too fast, go through a checklist before making a radical shift.
What’s wrong?
Try to put a finger on what exactly turns you off and the underlying reasons for the same. Is it the repetitive work, job hours or low pay? Do you abhor the lack of recognition or need promotion opportunities? Or, do you want to escape bad boss/dreadful colleagues?
Identifying the root cause of your dissatisfaction is half the battle won. So, take an inventory of your work and categorise which factors you hate or are indifferent to. Differentiate these from those aspects that you actually like, that will help you to identify specific concerns and complaints that sap your energy. Also, highlight what exactly you seek from work – is it money, satisfaction, independence or power?
Try to put a finger on what exactly turns you off and the underlying reasons for the same. Is it the repetitive work, job hours or low pay? Do you abhor the lack of recognition or need promotion opportunities? Or, do you want to escape bad boss/dreadful colleagues?
Identifying the root cause of your dissatisfaction is half the battle won. So, take an inventory of your work and categorise which factors you hate or are indifferent to. Differentiate these from those aspects that you actually like, that will help you to identify specific concerns and complaints that sap your energy. Also, highlight what exactly you seek from work – is it money, satisfaction, independence or power?
What to do
While you cannot control the organisation or the nature of your work, what you can do is change how you work or how you feel. Here’s how:
• If you are overwhelmed with work, instead of merely grumbling about the unending pressure and workload, try to figure out the real cause. It could be that you have poor time management skills, need to delegate more work or just learn to say ‘no’.
• In case of an ‘abilities and interests’ difficulty, bridge the gap by learning a new skill that will ease your work. Taking short, interesting courses can be invigorating.
• If interpersonal issues are hampering your ability to enjoy the job, try your best to befriend your colleagues and improve team relationships. If need be, communicate your concerns to the manager and solicit suggestions on the same.
• A poor relationship with the boss can also impede you from being effective at work. Either sort out the differences without needless griping or angle for a lateral transfer into another department.
• Swapping assignments or volunteering for new projects can ease the tedious monotony.
• Inject some fun into your daily routine with a jovial sense of humour. Just cracking a few amusing quips can inject vitality into the job at hand.
• If you still do not obtain any delight from your job, seek contentment in other aspects of your life. A good work/life balance with pleasing hobbies and other pursuits makes doing the work worthwhile. Else, a short holiday can also give a refreshing break.
While you cannot control the organisation or the nature of your work, what you can do is change how you work or how you feel. Here’s how:
• If you are overwhelmed with work, instead of merely grumbling about the unending pressure and workload, try to figure out the real cause. It could be that you have poor time management skills, need to delegate more work or just learn to say ‘no’.
• In case of an ‘abilities and interests’ difficulty, bridge the gap by learning a new skill that will ease your work. Taking short, interesting courses can be invigorating.
• If interpersonal issues are hampering your ability to enjoy the job, try your best to befriend your colleagues and improve team relationships. If need be, communicate your concerns to the manager and solicit suggestions on the same.
• A poor relationship with the boss can also impede you from being effective at work. Either sort out the differences without needless griping or angle for a lateral transfer into another department.
• Swapping assignments or volunteering for new projects can ease the tedious monotony.
• Inject some fun into your daily routine with a jovial sense of humour. Just cracking a few amusing quips can inject vitality into the job at hand.
• If you still do not obtain any delight from your job, seek contentment in other aspects of your life. A good work/life balance with pleasing hobbies and other pursuits makes doing the work worthwhile. Else, a short holiday can also give a refreshing break.
Scoop up the positives
Be realistic, as hardly anybody can love his or her job all the time. Operating with such high expectations only sets you up for dejection.
What is important is to like the work at least most of the time.
Focus on the benefits that made you choose the job in the first place. It may be the proximity to home, flexible hours, level of responsibility, autonomy, training facilities, responsive boss or supportive team members or even the free lunch coupons. Stop and realise the reality, as the job may actually be better than you think. This may make you do an about-face and even fall back in love with the job!
Beware, job dissatisfaction may actually stem not from the work but from your own insecurities or unhappiness. If your personal problems are making your work life miserable, there is no point in changing jobs. It’s advisable to explore the private issues. Then seek family or professional help to resolve them.
If you still feel the same after exhausting all other possibilities, as a last resort consider a job or career change.
A fresh start can ignite your passion, but make sure you know exactly what improvements you seek before moving.
Even mental health professionals uphold that, ‘People can change their occupational situations, either by switching attitudes, employers or vocations!’
Be realistic, as hardly anybody can love his or her job all the time. Operating with such high expectations only sets you up for dejection.
What is important is to like the work at least most of the time.
Focus on the benefits that made you choose the job in the first place. It may be the proximity to home, flexible hours, level of responsibility, autonomy, training facilities, responsive boss or supportive team members or even the free lunch coupons. Stop and realise the reality, as the job may actually be better than you think. This may make you do an about-face and even fall back in love with the job!
Beware, job dissatisfaction may actually stem not from the work but from your own insecurities or unhappiness. If your personal problems are making your work life miserable, there is no point in changing jobs. It’s advisable to explore the private issues. Then seek family or professional help to resolve them.
If you still feel the same after exhausting all other possibilities, as a last resort consider a job or career change.
A fresh start can ignite your passion, but make sure you know exactly what improvements you seek before moving.
Even mental health professionals uphold that, ‘People can change their occupational situations, either by switching attitudes, employers or vocations!’
PAYAL CHANANIA
hey,
ReplyDeletefortunate enough to get ur blog.
its nice!
could u help me out to get details to be a freelance writer.
thank u.
Awesome advice - truly helpful....
ReplyDeleteLoved the part about 'falling back in love with your job'....I hope you keep writing more such inspiring stuff so we can all plod through our lives a little more happily :-)