The Grass Isn’t Always Greener: Enjoying The Job You Have
We spend a lot of time at work. So, to be unhappy at work means we spend a lot of time unhappy. No one faults a person for looking elsewhere when work starts to take a toll, and sometimes, unhappiness at work requires a change. But for a variety of reasons, before changing jobs, it might just help to re-think the one you have.
Dr. Martin Seligman, in an article on positive psychology, notes three kinds of satisfaction or happiness: pleasure, engagement, and meaning. What if you decided to say to yourself, “For now, this is the job I have,” and then pursue one or all of these kinds of happiness at your current work?
Pleasure
For instance, how might you increase the amount of pleasure at work? It might involve arranging a regular lunch with co-workers you like, or just making sure that you take your whole lunch break more often. (I guess I get most of my pleasure at lunchtime!) Imagine how your workweeks tend to go and write down ways to increase your pleasure from one day to another. Test one or two ideas out and be persistent. It might take a while to change some of the patterns that have developed.
Engagement
To change your sense of engagement at work, you might ask yourself about the chances you have to feel a sense of accomplishment. Can you set personal benchmarks that challenge you but fit your strengths, interests and assigned tasks? Can you talk to your boss or supervisor about other goals you’d like to achieve or responsibilities you’d like to take on? Can you change your approach to customers, phone calls, or deadlines as a way to change your focus or attention? Again, pick a few ideas and try them out for a while.
Meaning
Happiness from a sense of meaning reflects appreciation for something larger than the self—pursuing a cause or purpose. People who see their work as a vocation might have an easier time finding meaning in their workday. Others, however, might have to be more creative in order to find meaning at work. Can you become more aware of the end goal of your organization—the product or service it provides and the role you play in providing it? Perhaps more practically, does your organization sponsor any volunteer activities or fundraisers you could participate in or even help organize? Do you work alongside others who are also dissatisfied at work, and can you offer them something to improve their workdays?
When pleasure, engagement, and meaning all converge, it’s known as living “the full life.” Imagine living the full life—at work. After all, when you’re happy at work, you’re spending a lot of your time happy.
Photo by Te55
Filed under: Resilience, Work/Life
