It’s almost February, and everyone is focused on love. Here at Tenshey, we’re not going to tell you how to find your soulmate, you’ll have to do that on your own. However, we do want to help you reclaim a different kind of love – the love of your career.
Maybe you’ve been doing your current job for a long time and it’s starting to feel stagnant. Maybe you’ve been working at your current company for several years and you’re starting to feel stuck. Whatever the reason, you’re just not feeling that same sense of joy you once had when your alarm would go off every morning.
That’s ok, it happens to everyone from time to time. The important thing is that you know how to deal with it. Keep reading for tips on how to reclaim the love you once had for your job.
What Has Changed?
First, take a step back, preferably somewhere besides the office, where you can sit down and focus on your task, and take a look at what you’re doing now as opposed to what you were doing when you first started. Has anything changed? If your job has changed substantially since you started, maybe it’s time to talk to your manager and see how you can get back to doing more of the work that made you love your job in the beginning. Go to see him or her with concrete suggestions for what you’d like to change and get them on board with your new vision. And make sure the notes you have are specific enough to be helpful. “Coworkers aren’t helpful” isn’t enough to build on. “Marketing tends to be late with deliverables, so I end up rushing to finish on time” is easier to pinpoint and create specific next steps to deal with.
Are You Bored?
Are you being challenged enough at work? Or have you gotten so good at your job that everything you do is pretty rote? If you feel that you aren’t being challenged enough, speak up! Let your manager know that you’d like to take on more responsibility or learn new tasks. If your current position is a rung on the ladder you’re trying to climb, figure how to get to take the next step. What skills will you need to make that jump? Again, go to your manager with your specific ideas. Let them know your career goals and that you have a plan for how to get there. Maybe there are some stretch projects you can take on or seminars you can attend that will help you get there. Keep your manager in the loop; they’re a great resource.
Are There Benefits You’re Not Using?
Sometimes the best way to love your job more is to put your focus on your non-working hours. Take a look at your benefits package; are there any pieces you’re not using? Maybe your company offers a gym membership you’re not aware of or your health insurance covers things like massages or acupuncture. Or maybe your department’s budget has money set aside for training and development that can help you to sharpen your skills or learn new ones? Sometimes improving one part of our lives carries over into other parts and makes us happier all around.
Speaking Of Your Office….
How’s your office? You spend a lot of time in your office, and your general satisfaction will be greatly influenced by how much you like it. Chances are your company won’t let you do too much to change the space itself, but you can do what you can to make it a space you enjoy being in. Bring in some pictures of family and friends, hang an inspirational quote on the wall, maybe bring a plant that doesn’t need daily attention. Even something as simple as a new planner or fancy pen can make you happier.
Why Are You There?
Think back to when you first accepted this job offer. What about it excited you back then? Even if things are a little different now, keep in mind what it was that you initially loved about the opportunity. Maybe it involved more travel to fun places, maybe it let you work from home a couple of days a week so you could commute less. Maybe it was the money you’d be making or the benefits that made you happy to get up and go to work every day. Whatever it was, remind yourself of that and keep it in mind the next time you start to feel bored. Maybe write it down and keep it where you can see it so you remember what you were excited about to begin with. Take a piece of advice from Marie Kondo and ask yourself – Does your job spark joy?
Conclusion
You’re not going to be thrilled every time your alarm rings, but if you take some of these tips and apply them to your current situation, you’ll get your mojo back in no time!