It is that time of year again where love is in the air – Valentine’s Day. Much to the dismay of some folks, February 14th rolls around every year. Regardless of your relationship status, you can probably benefit from falling in love (again) with your job.
As the old saying goes, “love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.” While we all strive to live this mantra in our careers, the unfortunate truth is many of us don’t. Similar to the beginning of a relationship, when we first start our jobs we might be caught up in the “honeymoon phase.” Everything seems great and you’re learning a lot because it is all new. However, once this wears off, you might start noticing things that you realize you don’t actually like about the job. Once this doubt creeps into your mind it is key to nip it in the bud before you fall into a rut.
If you have found yourself in this position, you’re not alone. Sometimes we all need a little help falling in love with our jobs again, and that is perfectly okay. Believe it or not, unlike some relationships, the one you have with your job can be revived. In an article for The Balance Careers, Alison Doyle lists 10 simple ways that you can (re)learn to love your job. Check out a few of them below:
Work With Your Supervisor to Set Goals
Far too often we get caught up in the day-to-day routine and simply end up going through the motions. If you have felt this before, you likely know that it is usually a one-way ticket to falling into a rut. Work becomes boring and your motivation and productivity take a nose dive.
In order to avoid these feelings, work with your supervisor in order to set goals. Not only can these goals help you advance your career, but they serve as motivation to get the job done and provide something to focus on.
Make a List of Things You Want to Improve
Regardless of where you’re at in your career, there are always things we can learn and continue to improve on. Maybe your Photoshop knowledge is at a novice level and with more practice you believe you can better contribute in your current role. Or, you don’t really have the confidence to speak up in meetings.
Doyle recommends taking some time to clear your head then write down everything you don’t love about your job. Once you complete this, you can figure out how you can make a game plan to improve upon them.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Support
One of the quickest ways to become unhappy at work is biting off more than you can chew. When you become overwhelmed your work-life balance can get out of whack and your productivity at work plummets. You might think that saying “yes” to everything shows that you are a hard worker and able to multi-task. However, there is no harm in asking for help or saying “no.”
By asking for help, you might be introduced to new ways to do certain tasks or even resources that you weren’t aware of to help make your job easier.
Remind Yourself Why You Took the Job in the First Place
Often times during our daily lives we may lose track of the reason why we do things; your job is no different. There is a reason that you decided to accept the job offer for your current role. Sure, things change throughout the course of your career and some of those things are out of your control, but it is important to remember why you decided to take the job.
Wrap Up
When you’ve gone along your career path, sometimes we may fall out of love with our current job and seek greener pastures. However, sometimes all it takes is some reflection to remember why you fell in love with your job in the first place. If you’re feeling sort of stuck lately and need to reinvigorate yourself back into your career, consider these tips!
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