Making Work More Satisfying
Posted in Self Assessment
People are usually excited about starting a new job, especially if it's their first. In the first few weeks or months, you're always on time, you're never absent, and you work efficiently. You are motivated, you feel respected, and on top of that, you are well compensated.
After a while, the novelty wears off and you're just not that inspired to work anymore. You have to drag yourself to work.
The pressure has escalated and getting through the day has never been more difficult. Basically, you've lost your job satisfaction.
Reasons why you lose your job satisfaction
- Internal strife or Power struggles
- Conflict with your supervisor
- Poor compensation
- Lacking the necessary resource to perform efficiently
- Lack of opportunities for career advancement
- Lack of influence over decisions that affect your job
- Fear of losing your job
- Tedium of the job
- Poor job fit
Take some time to reevaluate your interests and skills and learn new approaches to boost your job satisfaction.
Work approach and job satisfaction
Work can be approached from three different perspectives:
It's a job. Approaching your work as a job means you do it mainly for the money. The nature of your job matters very little to you. If you find a better-paying job, you won't hesitate to move on.
It's a career. If you see or approach your job as a career, you are focused on advancement. You want to work your way up, and go as high as possible - right up there with the most esteemed professionals in your field. You're mostly in it for the prestige and the power.
It's a calling. If you approach your job as a calling, you do it for the work itself. You work for the fulfillment that the job brings - not for career advancement, and not for the compensation.
Improving your job satisfaction
Depending on why you lost your job satisfaction, the Mayo Clinic suggests the following techniques to improve your job satisfaction:
Set new challenges
If you're not satisfied with your job because you feel stuck (due to lack of education or a dip in the economy), you can still make things worthwhile.
Improve your skills. Think of what you really want to do. Do you want to be an excellent manager? Why not develop the necessary skills needed for the job?
Plan your own project. Take on a project that you think can give you a sense of control and satisfaction. Start small, such as planning a work-related celebration.
Help out a co-worker. It's easy to become bored with your job once you've nailed its ins-and-outs. To help you rid of the boredom, why not teach a new colleague or an intern the tricks of the trade? Helping out a co-worker may reestablish the challenge and the satisfaction you're looking for.
Break the cycle
As previously stated, once you've mastered the job, it could get boring. To bring back your job satisfaction, try doing the following:
Change your routine. Instead of falling in line in the cafeteria like you do everyday, why not take advantage of your lunch break and do something else? Head out to a nearby bookstore to read, or go to a record shop to listen to music. If all else fails, take a walk. It will do you good to get some fresh air and exercise.
Volunteer for something new. If your company is launching a new project or program, sign up for it.
Cross-training. Ask your boss about training for a different task. Once you've completed training, you can switch back and forth.
