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Job satisfaction: Strategies to make work more gratifying
Strategies to improve your job satisfaction
Depending on the underlying cause of your lack of job satisfaction, there may be several ways to increase your job satisfaction.
Set new challenges
If you're stuck in a job because of lack of education or a downturn in the economy, it doesn't mean your work has to become drudgery. With a little imagination, you can create new challenges and make the best of the job you have. Here are some ideas that may help.
- Improve your job skills. Imagining yourself in your dream job, you might envision yourself as an excellent project manager — a confident communicator and a highly organized person. Why not work on these skills in your present job?
- Develop your own project. Take on a project that can motivate you and give you a sense of control. Start small, such as organizing a work-related celebration, before moving on to larger goals. Working on something you care about can boost your confidence.
- Mentor a co-worker. Once you've mastered a job, you may find it becoming routine. Helping a new co-worker or an intern advance his or her skills can restore the challenge and the satisfaction you desire.
Beat the boredom
Does your job seem boring sometimes? Do you run out of things to do? If so, your abilities may not match your responsibilities. Here are some suggestions:
- Break up the monotony. Take advantage of your work breaks. Read. Listen to music. Go for a walk. Write a letter.
- Cross-training. Does your work consist of repetitive tasks, such as entering data or working on an assembly line? Talk with your boss about training for a different task to combat boredom. Once you've completed the training, you can switch back and forth.
- Volunteer for something different. If you hear that your company is launching a new project, volunteer for the work team.
Keep in mind that boredom can literally be deadly if your job involves working with machinery or caring for people. If your mind wanders to the point that you put your life or the lives of others in jeopardy, take action now. Talk to your supervisor about new challenges you can take on or seek a new position.
Stay positive
Use positive thinking to reframe your thoughts about your job. Changing your attitude about work won't necessarily happen overnight or increase your job satisfaction overnight. But if you're alert to ways your view of work brings you down, you can improve your job satisfaction. Try these techniques:
- Stop negative thoughts. Pay attention to the messages you give yourself. When you catch yourself thinking your job is terrible, stop the thought in its tracks.
- Put things in perspective. Remember, everyone encounters good days and bad days on the job.
- Look for the silver lining. "Reframing" can help you find the good in a bad situation. For example, you receive a less than perfect performance appraisal and your boss warns you to improve or move to another job. Instead of taking it personally or looking for another job right away, look for the silver lining. Depending on where you work, the silver lining may be attending continuing education classes or working closely with a performance coach and having the satisfaction of showing your boss that you're capable of change.
- Learn from your mistakes. Failure is one of the greatest learning tools, but many people let failure defeat them. When you make a mistake at work, learn from it and try again. It doesn't mean that you're a failure.
- Be grateful. Gratitude can help you focus on what's positive about your job. Ask yourself, "What am I grateful for at work today?" If it's only that you're having lunch with a friendly co-worker, that's OK. But find at least one thing you're grateful for and savor it.
More job satisfaction can mean less stress
Whether your work is a job, a career or a calling, you can take steps to restore meaning to your job. Make the best of difficult work situations by being positive. Doing so will help you manage your stress and experience the rewards of your profession.
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