Ever wished there were couples counselling for you and your job? Well, the doctor’s in.
Here are nine ways to improve your relationship with work.
1. You Are Not Your Job
We set goals at work. We feel connected to the work we do. Some of us feel like our work has meaning. That’s all good but never lose sight of the fact that you are not your work. Your job does not define you as a person; you’re so much more. Keep that in mind and you’ll find it a lot easier to keep your work/life balance stable.
2. Kudos to You
We create milestones, achieve them and then set new goals. All too often, we forget an important step – celebration. It’s important to celebrate your work victories, no matter how small they are. And while you’re at it, why not give kudos to your team, the ones who make your victories possible. Heck, why not celebrate every day that you’re just darn good at what you do! High-fives all around.
3. Don’t Compete, Collaborate
Some workplaces can feel like the Thunderdome with to-the-death battles to prove who’s better at their job. That’s pretty stressful. Instead of competing, try collaborating. You’ll all get recognition and nobody has to die.
4. Avoid the Dark Clouds
We’ve all encountered them at some point: negative co-workers who leave a dark cloud hovering over the entire office. It’s easy to blame these people for bad office juju, but only you can give them the power to ruin your day. If you can’t avoid them, change the subject the second they start the negative talk. Just say no to gossip. Blast every bad word with two good ones. It may not be easy but who said being the sunshine would be easy?
5. Be the Office Angel
It feels good to give, so why wouldn’t you do it at work? Put a bowl of fresh apples in the lunchroom, offer up a midday guided meditation or start up a compost program. Doing good at work will give your job more meaning and will make those around you much happier. And, in case you didn’t know, happiness is contagious.
6. You’re Not Alone
None of us works in a true vacuum. There’s always someone else out there – either doing what we do, having done what we are doing, or willing to help us do what we need to do. When work starts to feel overwhelming, reach out to those people. Remember that you’re not alone in this (even if it feels like it) and you’ll find the tasks much easier to tackle.
7. Turn Away from Your Screen & Take a Break
We are not machines. We need breaks. Stepping away from the work and letting your body and mind reset is critical for all types of jobs whether they’re physical or mental. In fact, you may find that a little mental break is just what you need to reboot your creative juices or give you the energy to carry on. Even machines need to power-down sometimes.
8. Leave It at the Office
The digital age has made it really easy to take our work home with us. It may feel like freedom, and for some, it may even provide peace of mind, but to have a healthy relationship with our jobs, we need some alone time. Try to leave work at work and if you can’t then be sure to schedule tech time outs – yes we’re suggesting that you shut your phone off, even if it’s just for an hour.
9. Always Remember, It’s Not the End of the World
We tend to put a lot of importance on the work we do; it’s part of what makes us good at our jobs. Sometimes, we care a little too much. And yes, sometimes how well we do our job has ramifications that impact a lot of people but hear this – if things don’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. Literally, the world will go on spinning, life will carry on and you and the people around you will recover. So, don’t get so worked up. Unless, of course, your job is gravity, then kindly disregard this suggestion.
Just like a good marriage, when you put the effort in, stay committed to making it work and keep your eye on the big picture, you can expect a happy, healthy and long relationship with your job. And, retirement is a lot better than divorce.
