At Adecco, we think everyone should love what they do, so much so that #LoveWhatYouDo has become a tagline of sorts within our company. But the truth is that it’s so much more than a tagline. It’s a firm belief that people deserve to enjoy and find meaning in their occupation. Work should be full of passion, excitement and motivation.
In the real world though, loving your job isn’t always that easy. Stress is real. Burnout is real. There is a whole host of real-world roadblocks that can get in the way of you loving your job.
Sound familiar? We get it. That’s why we’re sharing these plain-and-simple action items that you can use to re-ignite your love for your job.
Define what you don’t like about your job and ask for change
Don’t like your job? Why?
The first step towards making change is defining what you want to change. Take some time to self-reflect about the underlying reasons behind your dissatisfaction at work. Is it too many overtime hours? Have interpersonal relationships gone wrong? Are your duties becoming boring and mundane?
Once you’ve written these “cons” down, analyze them logically to determine if there’s a way to change them. Sometimes, people get so wrapped up in their negative sentiments surrounding work that they forget that they’re allowed to ask for change. However, communication needs to happen first.
Talk frankly with your supervisor. If you’re working too much overtime, tell them about the impact it’s having on your mental health or family life. If you’re tired of the same-old tasks, explain that you’re craving a challenge and ask for new responsibilities.
It’s amazing what voicing your concerns can do. Bosses and employers are busy people, and they’re certainly not mind-readers. Often, they won’t know anything’s wrong unless you tell them. Too often, the first time bosses hear about their employees’ dislikes and complaints is in their exit interview! If you talk to your boss before you get to the point of resigning, you may just be surprised at the lengths they’re willing to go to keep you happy.
Use your work benefits
Take a step back from the day-to-day grind and look through your initial contract and benefits policy.
Is your employer offering something that you don’t know about? Are you taking advantage of everything in your policy?
Every worker should capitalize on their benefits. They’re rightfully yours, after all! Here’s a list of a few perks to look out for in your policy that might just change your attitude (or at least cheer you up temporarily):
- Health and wellness budget. Some employers offer an allowance for ergonomic workstation equipment or fitness activities. It may be a little or it may be a lot, but either way, why not claim that free offer?
- Tuition reimbursement and upskilling opportunities. More and more employers are emphasizing the importance of upskilling within the workforce. Check to see if you can get reimbursed for a course you’re interested in or attend a free webinar on an exciting topic.
- Health insurance. Everyone knows the standard medical and dental insurance policy, but what about other health practitioners? Look into the fine print of your policy. Can you get reimbursed for a quarterly massage? What about speaking to a psychologist? These benefits may make a big difference in de-stressing outside of work hours.
- Vacation hours. How many paid vacation hours have you accumulated? Use them! An extended time away from the office may just give you the mental re-boot you need to come back to work a new person.
Expand your social network at work
People are social beings, even at work. If you find yourself in a rut at your job, consider branching out of your normal routine to include new people into your circle.
Start with your lunch break. Do you normally eat alone? Ask a colleague that you don’t know very well to lunch. Maybe you’re a remote worker. Organize a virtual “water cooler chat” where you can take 15 minutes or half an hour to unwind and get to know the people around you as people. Having a laugh with someone can go a long way to improving your day.
Who knows but you might find a kindred spirit that turns into a trusted friend. Or, perhaps you’ll discover a colleague willing to swap some responsibilities with you and shake up your regular routine. Maybe you’ll even learn of an open position in a different department that sparks a lateral move.
Meeting new people and making new friends often means you’ll need to step outside of your comfort zone. But the reward is well worth it—you’re bound to boost the “fun factor” of your job when you’re surrounded by people you know and like.
Create a long-term plan for new work opportunities
It’s easy to get stuck in the minutia of the 9 to 5. If you’re counting down the hours and minutes before you can clock out or walk away from your home office, it might be time to create a long-term plan.
Set your sights on a promotion. Think to yourself: I’ll give this job my 100% until my next performance review, when I’ll ask for a new job title. Giving yourself a clear goal and timeline will help you concentrate on the future while simultaneously distracting you from the frustrating little things in the present.
Or, maybe your long-term plan needs to be an exit plan. Sometimes, jobs are not forever jobs. They’re just…jobs. If you’re at your job only to pay the bills, that’s okay. For now. It’s important though that you create a path of action for yourself. Knowing that your current job is a stepping stone to something better will stop yourself from getting lost in the “I can’t quit” mindset.
Maybe you need to ramp up your job search efforts after hours. Maybe you need to pour more time into building up your side hustle. The point is that seeing your current job as a means to a larger goal will help you see the value in it. If you can’t love your job, you may be able to at least like it, if it funds a passion project.
Take responsibility for your career
When you crunch the numbers, a 40-hour work week is a huge chunk of your (finite) time.
It may sound cliché, but you only have one life to live! It doesn’t make sense to spend yours in a job you can’t stand. Of course, even your dream job won’t make every day seem like a dream. It’s unrealistic to expect that your job will make you blissfully happy all the time. On the other hand, if it makes you miserable, you need to take ownership over your career to create change.
It won’t help to wait around for your superiors to notice that you’re unhappy. It also won’t help to wait around for something to miraculously change. Your work is ultimately your responsibility. Take initiative where you can, be open and discuss the things you can’t control and take advantage of the benefits your work does provide for you.
Love what you do with Adecco
At Adecco, our recruiters work tirelessly on behalf of our associates to find them meaningful work that they love. If you want an expert working behind the scenes to help you find a new job, drop us a line! We’d love to get to know you and connect you with new opportunities
Remember, you deserve to love what you do!