How can I be happy in work?

We spend at least one-third of our days in work. It can define who you are. If you are happy in work you are generally happy outside of work, if you are not happy in work, then generally this spills out into your personal life and you find you are not happy here either. How do you get this balance right? Is it possible to be in a job that you like (or even love?)

We are all in a uncertain time right now, for some it has given us time to re-evaluate our current career/lifestyle/balance and we are questioning what we would like to do in the next 12 months, 5 years, 10 years? Are you looking forward to getting back into the normal office environment or are you dreaming of something different where you can use your skills and experience in other ways? Now is a super time to give all this some effort and thought.

Ask yourself the following questions

• Am I happy in my job/does it excite me going back into the office?

• Do I want to be doing the same thing in the next 5-10 years?

• Do I want to be in the same company but a better position in the next 5-10 years?

• Do I love what I do, just not the company I am in?

• Do I want a change of industry?

• Could I change my career totally? How?

• Can I work for myself?

I realise that many people give out about their jobs from time to time; this is only natural; we all do it. (I have certainly done this myself, however deep down I have always loved what I do and loved my job), We all like to let off a bit of steam, give out about the boss or the coffee machine or anything that is niggling at you that day, but generally we get over it. However, I am talking about anyone who is sick at the thoughts of going back into work and cannot shake the feeling, like they are stuck in a rut and it can’t change.

If you are one of these people, what can you do? Don’t worry there are options, plenty of options.

A few simple steps….

Stop saying “I hate my job” the more you say it, the more you will believe it. This won’t improve the situation at all. Ask yourself why you hate it and what has brought you to this point. (numerous issues could come up here, you don’t feel appreciated, you feel you are working harder than anyone else, you didn’t get the last promotion, you are under paid, you are bored, you are overworked etc) You need to ask yourself, what is within your control right now to change this?

Don’t be afraid to discuss this with your boss. They are not mind readers; you need to understand your EXPECTATIONS against their expectations. Be fully prepared before you discuss any issues that you have. PREPARATION is key. Make sure to put yourself out there and discuss what is bothering you. You will end up with a much better understanding of your boss and what is expected from you. This can lead to a much better work environment for you leaving you in a much happier situation.

Don’t be afraid to ask why you didn’t get the last promotion and what you need to do now to prepare for the next promotion. Challenge your boss for new exciting opportunities and show them you are able for the next opportunity that may come your way.

PRAISE ADDICTION, A very common issue I come up with in people who feel undervalued in their job, under appreciated. We all seek out praise, it comes from a very young age. In school we always got praised for getting good grades, in sports we got medals for winning, so we all want to be rewarded and praised for a good job done. So many people are extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with their career because they don’t get praised enough for doing their job. Is this just an UNREALISTIC expectation? There are two options for you here, one is to move to a job where you will be praised constantly (if there is such a job) secondly you need to BREAK the addiction to praise by learning to be intrinsically motivated by your career. Trust me, if you can master this, you will see a marked improvement in your work environment.

What if I have tried all this and REALLY want a NEW CAREER?

Again…you have options

Firstly, EVALUATE everything about your current career that you love and everything that you don’t. If you are making a move to a new career, you want to be sure that you are going to focus on the parts of your career that you love. Do out a list, do out a few lists. Take time over them. Decide what is important to you and what you LOVE doing. This will be the first step in looking at a new job/career for you.

Have a look at your VALUES and what is important to you in everyday life. Take time out and think about this. This will help you in any future decisions to make sure your new career is aligned with your values.

Now you need to focus on your TRANSFERABLE skills. What skills have you in your current career that you can use in a new career and how do you show that on your CV and in an interview.

Focus on your CV and on Linkedin. You need to make sure your online BRAND on LinkedIn is aligned with what you want your new career to be. Focus on your brand and re-ignite your Linkedin and your CV.

Clarity brings calm.

Feel free to contact me for more advice and guidance on Career and life Coaching. I am available for a 30 mins call to go through any queries you may have. Email me at Annemarie@amfconsulting.ie to set up a call.

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