Do you dread Monday mornings? Instead of jumping out of bed eager to start your workday, do you find yourself pulling the covers over your head? Do you wish you could do anything but go to work?
You are not alone. In fact, Gallup researchers report that about two-thirds of Americans are not engaged in their work. That means millions of people experience less happiness, enthusiasm, and productivity in their jobs compared to the 30% of the U.S. population that report being engaged at work.
So, how do you upgrade your engagement level at work?
Without sounding too “woo-woo”, you might consider focusing on your Well-being.
In the book “Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements” by Tom Rath and Jim Harter, well-being is described as “the combination of our love for what we do each day, the quality of our relationships, the security of our finances, the vibrancy of our physical health, and the pride we take in what we have contributed to our communities.”
This book is based on findings from a comprehensive Gallup study exploring well-being in people from over 150 countries. They found five universal elements that are important to most people across the globe:
Career Well-being
Social Well-being
Financial Well-being
Physical Well-being
Community Well-being
This article will focus on one of the elements: Career Well-being.
In essence, Career Well-being is about how much you enjoy your work on a daily basis. In fact, it doesn’t matter whether you work in a paying job, own a business, hold a volunteer position, are invested in a project/cause, or are raising children. What is most important for having high Career Well-being, is that you find your work fulfilling, interesting, and enjoyable each day!
A few tips to boost your Career Well-being:
Become pro-active.
Take the necessary steps to manage your career. When your work is unsatisfying and you have legitimate complaints that bother you, it’s easy to spend time worrying and complaining to family, friends and colleagues about your situation. However, this won’t help you. Get off the “complain train”. Instead use that energy in a constructive way. Admit that your work life stinks and focus on taking positive steps that will improve your situation for the better.
Get to the source of the problem.
Identify what is dragging your engagement level down. Do you like the company you work for, but not the department you work in? Do you like the department you work in, but have a terrible boss to report to? Ask yourself if it is possible to make adjustments at your current work setting by switching to another team, division, or supervisor? Look for opportunities within your organization that would be a better fit for you to become more engaged at work. Seek out work that would allow you to utilize your strengths on a daily basis and promote a more positive working environment?
Get connected.
Lift your spirit by reaching out to fellow colleagues, groups, organizations, associations or even a mentor to enhance your professional growth. By actively seeking out sources of inspiration and support, you may find these new interactions create synergy, motivation, and improve your overall mood.
Most people hit a career “funk” from time-to-time over the course of their entire working life. It is a natural process to cycle through phases that include professional high’s and low’s. When you hit a low (and you will), it usually is an indicator that your Career Well-being needs your attention. See this “funk” an opportunity for a professional tune-up by investing in your career, setting new goals, and finding new ways of thriving.
JOLIE STEERS COACHING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 2016
