The image above was produced by a friend of mine who loves what he does. Check out his work at www.itsalllove.net (Lovelost Photography).
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In this time of transition I have had the opportunity to network with many new people and catch up with friends. One of two things happen when we start talking about work. They either light up or are more likely responding with an unenthusiastic “Meh”.
There is a funny meme that I came across recently.
“It’s not Mondays that suck. It’s your job”
I think this is true for most people. As with all activities, if there is no fulfillment, it’s work. Otherwise, it’s a hobby. Let me illustrate. A friend of mine loves cycling. She once cycled over two hours to meet up with us. That’s insane!!! I would never do that. There is so much effort and in my case risk of heart failure (yes I’m exaggerating) to accomplish that. But, in her mind, it was not a problem as it is what she loves.
It is unfortunate that people take jobs for the sake of living. It would be better if people lived to do the job they love. I have been fortunate to find my calling early in life. I love to teach, work with teams and ultimately produce something that we can all be proud of. Working up to 80 hours a week was common for me. I had a team counting on me and I was producing products that benefited society. I had a purpose that fed my soul. But, it was not always clear skies. There are many times when my job became work. Most of the time this manifested when my job conflicted with my family life. Other times, it was when I was working on something that I didn’t believe in or saw no value in doing. These are the moments that draw you down.
Giving to others will also provide fulfillment for your soul. Ironically I am volunteering as a career mentor in my time of transition. One of my mentees asked me, “Brian. Why are you doing this and how do you find the time and energy?” Realistically I could be spending all of my time landing my next job. This is a lot of work. Giving my time and advice to others and seeing the sparks of enlightenment gives me pleasure. I know that I’m making a difference. It’s not that I’m spending energy to help others, it is that helping others are giving ME more energy. If you have not volunteered before, give it a try. You will understand yourself better and provide a greater sense of purpose to your life.
As I’ve learned from many successful people. Loving your job gives you vitality. You will have the drive to do more and nothing will slow you down. This is the ideal and is not where most people are. If you’re currently stuck in your situation, here are some suggestions to help you to that happy place.
1. Define your purpose.
Find out within yourself why you’re doing the job. Are you there to provide a stable platform for your family? Do you believe in the product or company? Is this a stepping stone to advance your career?
Remember this purpose when you encounter those rough situations. It will lead you through those challenges.
2. Challenge yourself
Especially for monotonous work, play a little game with yourself to stimulate your brain. One of the causes of fatigue is boredom. Set a benchmark and next time try and beat that benchmark. This personal game will provide a little extra stimulation and help you focus on the task at hand.
3. Take breaks before you need a break
This seems counter-intuitive. Consider this. Your body feels tired as a fight or flight response. When you already are feeling this, your body is already stressed. If you rest and let your body recover before this stage you will have more stamina both mentally and physically.
If these don’t work to make your job more bearable, maybe it’s time to identify what is gratifying to you and go after it.
Take care,
Brian
brteng 