Working is a way of life! You hear the phrase ‘If only I won the lotto’ all too often but reality check – you would’ve needed to be earning money in the first place to buy that winning lottery ticket. If you’re going to slave away at the same place every day then you may as well love what you’re doing. A part of it is choosing a career you are passionate about but more importantly it’s waking up every morning with the right attitude. That’s why we’ve put together some tips to help you love (or at least less hate) your job.
Declutter
It sounds simple, but making your workspace a space you can actually work in is beyond important. If you’ve got drawers overflowing and one too many stained coffee mugs hanging around, then its time to say farewell. If your ‘What even is this?’ pile of papers are starting to give Mount Everest a run for it’s money then do yourself a huge favour and declutter – ASAP. Getting rid of the unnecessary space fillers puts you in a ‘workable’ environment. It’s a physical and practical way to give you a fresh perspective and be able to enjoy what you’re doing. You will no longer have to spend an hour trying to find that one file and allocate that wasted time to getting jobs done.
Breathe
Technically you’re already doing this as a means of survival but we mean taking the time to stop, breathe and think. Taking a huge breath can make you feel ten times better in an instant. Slow deep breaths help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is what allows your body to regenerate and heal. As you breathe try and reconnect with why you chose your job in the first place and revitalize the desire you had for it in the beginning. With such busy work schedules sometimes it’s good to just stop for a second or two before continuing on to your next task. It breaks the day up and serves as a reminder of how and why you ended up where you are in the first place.
Focus on Positives
Work-related or not, we all have a bad habit of stressing over the minimal negatives rather than embracing the countless positives. Cheesy as it is, make a pen and paper your friend and write out the pros of your job. It will make you feel better about the position you have (and if it doesn’t you might be in the wrong field). You could write things like hours, coworkers, the free lunch or even that you’re making a difference in the world. If you’ve worked hard to get to where you are today or you’re still on the way there, then take a second to look back at how far you’ve come. It’s important to acknowledge the success you have achieved thus far and let it drive you continue. Being passionate about what you’ve done and what you are doing is key!
Put Your Hand Up
Not literally (although it is good to have a stretch every now and then) but more so not being scared to put your hand up for new duties. Doing the same thing every day can become repetitive. Yet when the boss asks if someone would like to help out with a new task we’re shyer than a hermit crab comfortably hiding back in our shells. Doing different things can intensify the excitement of your job so you’re not stuck doing the same old same old. Your days well go faster and let’s face it, that’s all we really care about. Don’t be afraid to ask for more or different duties either. There’s no harm in asking your boss to trying something new and even if this isn’t possible it proves to them that you have initiative.
Switch Off Once You Leave Work
Majority of us spend 1/3 of our days at work so it’s important to take a break once you clock off. Living in a digital world has made it easier for us to work outside work hours but simultaneously makes it harder to stop. However, consuming each and every second of the day with work-related business is just going to make you hate it more. Tell yourself, that as soon as you leave the office its ‘you’ time, which means emails shall no longer be opened and only recreational phone calls may be made. Taking a break from work gives you a fresh start for when the time comes to get back into it. Be passionate about your work but don’t let it take over because eventually you will resent it.
