If your job makes you shudder, cry, or want to throw your head against a wall in agony, you’re not alone. Most of us (and some more than others) have had the occasional fantasy of fleeing the country and starting an anonymous new life as a straw hat seller on a tropical island, or joining the 00 team and living on the edge of danger.
Happiness on the job is an important factor for getting things done. Happy employees are typically 31% more productive than their unhappy counterparts, and demonstrate 3X more creativity.
If those stats don’t describe you, don’t worry. You don’t have to yawn or cry your way through the day, or become a nihilist. If you find yourself unchallenged or just stuck in the routine of the daily work grind, here are a few things you can implement every day to replenish your happiness, no matter your job.
Ask yourself what you can learn
The next time you’re faced with a routine task that makes you want to take cover hoping it will spontaneously combust,
try facing it head on. Ask yourself what you can learn from this project, and how you can complete it in the best way possible. Consider how it connects to the larger picture to remind yourself that even this task is important to the proper functioning of your company.
Challenge yourself
Get creative. If you enjoy a bit of competition, compete against yourself. Set a timer to complete X amount of work in a specific time. Give yourself a small reward, such as a walk around the office, with
every task you complete. This will keep your mind active and prevent it from falling into a rote pattern of mindless doing.
Identify your ‘why’
We all have a ‘why’ for what we do. Instead of focusing solely on the task itself as an endpoint, take a step back and think about why you are doing it. What are your bigger goals and dreams? How is this helping you get a step closer to those goals? Without a ‘why’ we are destined to crumble under the heaviness of a dull life.
Shifting your perspective can make all the difference.
Develop your life
The happiest people in any job are those who have fulfilling lives outside of work. So take the time to find your passion, make connections and friendships, spend time with the ones you love, and get active. Develop a life filled with happiness and passion and it will spill over into even the most
methodical job. Your job isn’t you. Don’t ‘be’ the job. ‘Have’ the job. And remember, the work you do is your means to an end, not an end in itself.
Now that you’re properly armed with the weapons to combat any dull task, go forth into your cubicle and find fulfillment in every task, no matter what your job.
