Other than putting food on the table, why do we spend the greater part of our lives looking for work? Is it to have a sense of achievement? Is it to be independent? Or is it because we want to contribute to society? The answers, and even the questions, vary from person to person depending on what drives them to seek work opportunities. What remains similar in every case is that once people are able to earn relatively well, they look for other things to keep going.
If it was just money that we are after, we wouldn’t be giving our best to our jobs – we would just be doing enough to sail through. The fact that many people go above and beyond to be good at their work shows that they are also motivated by other factors. Feeling and knowing that the work you do is meaningful is very rewarding. It gives us the push on days when we don’t feel like doing anything.
So, if you are at a point in your job where you are making good money but you don’t feel fulfilled, here are some tips for you.
How you can gain fulfillment at work
No matter what job you have and what industry you work for, you should have a feeling of contentment when you get home from work. Unless it is really necessary and you are short on options, don’t settle for a job that isn’t fulfilling.
Stick with your values
When you go to work, there are times when you have to take orders from the boss, but there are also times when you are able to choose how you want to accomplish your tasks. Spend some time reflecting on your personal values and make sure that you work by them.
For example, if you consider yourself an honest human being and it goes against your values to manipulate your way through a situation, make sure that your job doesn’t make you do just that. If the other employees do something that isn’t allowed, don’t do it just to fit in. If you don’t feel like taking part in gossip, don’t be involved in those conversations. If you stick by your beliefs, you will feel fulfilled at work.
Goals
If you don’t have some goals set, then even if you are working in your dream job, you will soon experience a wave of meaninglessness that will slow you down. No matter the nature of the work you are doing, always have some goals set out.
Suppose that you work as a nurse. A goal could be to further your education to transition from a simple BSN to a DNP-FNP. Not only will this help you in furthering your personal growth and achievements, but you will also be adding value to your workplace because of your qualification and credentials. The degree will let you lead patient care across the lifespan as you earn the highest credential available for clinical nursing practice.
Always have your goals set out even if your job is a temporary one. There is always something to look forward to when you have objectives. Also, these goals don’t even have to be monumental in order to mean something – as long as you are actively working on becoming a better version of yourself at the job, then this is alright.
Gratitude
You are not the only one to get stuck in a rut. We have all been there at some point in our lives. If you start feeling ungrateful about your job, especially when things aren’t going the way that you want them to, keep in mind that you could have had it worse. In this economy, there are so many people who would love to have your job.
So, remind yourself of all the positive aspects about the work when you feel bad. However, this doesn’t mean that you should just settle for what you have without trying to get where you envision yourself. Remember that it is okay to have a few days when gratitude doesn’t seem to come instantly. You are human and you can’t be perfect. Just be sure to not completely forget gratitude.
Be invested
You should feel excited when you’re going to work every day, thinking about all that you will learn. The job may not be your dream one, but it still is work that can equip you with a large number of skills for the future.
When there are important meetings being held or when you are part of a group discussion taking place, show some enthusiasm to be there. Try to take an interest in your job so that at the end of the workday, you feel fulfilled.
If you are not looking forward to playing your role in achieving organizational goals, then why are you even working at this place? Don’t make work an obligation – go in every day believing that you make a difference.
Make friends
The best thing you can do at work is to be on good terms with your colleagues – your subordinates as well as your supervisors. Not only will the network be of great use to you, but also going to work won’t feel like going to jail because you have a good time with the people there.
If you have no friends at the office, then you might find it difficult to have fulfillment at work. This doesn’t mean that you should have friends in every department on every floor – you just need to have a couple so that work doesn’t feel dreadful and lonely.
Another tip for you is to be a good listener. Your bosses will respect you for always being attentive, and your juniors will always look up to you as a source of credibility.
Keep on learning
You can never know too much about a topic. Keep on expanding your knowledge pool so that even on days when work feels dull, you have something to look forward to. You could get certifications; you could read different papers and journals; you could practice new software applications, etc. The point is to just keep on learning new things that are relevant to your work life so that it doesn’t feel as though you are wasting your days away.
There are many trainings and seminars that you can take part in to raise your value as an employee. It will make your career building very prosperous, all the while helping you to stay focused and motivated to keep on doing your best at work.
Another advantage of expanding your knowledge and skillset is that you will find better job offers. Most people tend to switch jobs and organizations throughout their working life so that they expand their exposure and grow both personally and professionally.
Have fun
No matter how good you are at your job or how wonderful your work is, it will get boring every now and then. People often feel burnt out due to being stuck in a monotonous work routine where nothing else is happening.
Whenever life starts to get too boring at work, you need to do something fun. Take a vacation to a nice resort. If a vacation is not possible right now, then meet your friends every weekend or so to catch up and de-stress. Make time for your family if you aren’t single.
Break the routine when you get the chance so that work doesn’t become this dreadful reality that you start to resent. Even if your job is the most important one in the world, it doesn’t come above your wellbeing.
Conclusion
You will spend many years of your life working different jobs to ensure that you make it through life comfortably. It won’t always be fun – some of the time, it will be frustrating. You will have to come across bad people, and there will be days when even the slightest inconvenience will convince you to quit. However, you mustn’t let it get to the point where it loses all meaning.
Your work is supposed to make you feel fulfilled even when it isn’t something that you wanted to pursue. Don’t let work become a soul-sucking void in your life, because nothing could be worse. If you hate your current job, then work on getting out of it and find something a bit more tolerable. Keep these tips in mind so that you actively internalize being positive in your working life.