There’s only a one-letter difference between “joy” and “job.” However, many professionals struggle to connect the two. Nevertheless, despite the professional challenges, some people still enjoy their work. They’re the people who tell you that they love what they do.
Although your mind might think that success and money are the main reasons why people find joy in their work, it’s not always the case. For instance, a high school teacher who helps students develop their talents will likely find joy in their job. An art director who enjoys working with people will likely find joy in creating a vision. And a bank clerk who values the human beings in her work will likely find joy in treating customers like they are human beings. Here are some tips for finding joy in your work.
Build Relationships
When you feel like you’re not being appropriately supported in your job, you tend to withdraw from your colleagues. You won’t talk to them because you don’t want to be there, and you won’t ask about them because you don’t care. You also don’t laugh with them because you’re focused on completing your work.
According to polls, the people you work with are the most crucial reason people find joy in their job. Paradoxically, withdrawing from your colleagues can also hurt your self-esteem and happiness. By doing so, you’ll be depriving yourself of these people’s support and relief.
When you’re feeling lonely, try to be interested in what your colleagues are doing and offer to help them in any way you can. Having a community around you can provide you with more fun.
Take Responsibility
Most of the time, you don’t want to take on responsibility. However, if you’re not doing something you’re responsible for, you’ll feel like a tiny, insignificant individual. When you side-step the contributions you make, you also lose the inherent value of being part of it.
Accepting responsibility is the only way you can truly see how much you have contributed to the success of your work. Whether you’re a small-time contributor or a leader in a complex project, you have an impact. You might have helped make a big difference by providing a reliable and always-present skill, or you might have been able to find a better way of doing things by listening to others.
Avoid Office Politics
Politicians tend to avoid giving straight answers because they don’t want to be bothered by responsibility, want to get their way, and don’t care about the people they represent. This is an example of how self-interest can affect how people behave in office settings.
If you let office politics take over, you’ll be eating yourself alive. It’s very common for people to build their empire at their fellow workers’ expense and blame others for their shortcomings. Politics is all about the details of your agenda.