What exactly is job satisfaction? It has been defined in many different ways. According to Wikipedia, some believe it is simply how content an individual is with his or her job, in other words, whether or not they like the job or individual aspects or facets of jobs, such as nature of work or supervision. Others believe it is not as simplistic as this definition suggests and instead that multidimensional psychological responses to one’s job are involved.
In fact,job satisfaction often means different things to different people and usually encompasses a lot more than just the role at hand. A good work-life balance and feeling as if you’re developing your strengths both in and out of the office are often factors that affect our overall mental health, self-esteem and confidence in our jobs too. Now, let take a look at some essential factors you should focus on when finding your job satisfaction!
Build Relationships with Your Co-Workers
If you find yourself punching in at 9 and out at 5, sitting in your little cubicle head-down, performing the required tasks without going above and beyond in any way, you’re likely missing out on an important part of your workday: relationships.
Many employees list relationships with co-workers and managers as two of the top ten contributing factors for job satisfaction. Maybe finding happiness in your job is closely related to reaching out to those around you. Don’t be afraid to ask your managers how you can work best with them and let them know how they can get the best from you. Undoubtable, sharing your skills, talents and interests with those around you will satisfy you both. Remember, you build your reputation and trustworthiness at work from those relationships.
Build Your Confidence
You can’t be completely happy if your confidence is tarnished at work. A confident professional has the courage to make decisions that others only dream about. Boost your confidence by affirming yourself, sharing frequent moments of gratitude, and acknowledging your accomplishments. Meeting extremely tight deadlines while multitasking several important projects is worth awarding; delivering a great presentation in the morning even after staying up all night to finish a major project can be a huge accomplishment too.
If you need some pampering, start writing sticky notes of inspiring phrases around your office or home to remind yourself what kind person you are becoming. You may be surprised about how effectively these notes can motivate you!
Break Some Patterns
Sticking to a plain repetitive work routine can be quite annoying sometimes. Stop doing the same thing every day if you want to get different results. You wake up at the same time, take the same route to work, eat almost the same thing for lunch and have the same small talk to co-workers day after day, boring, isn’t it?
Stable patterns work wonders for increasing your productivity. However, once in a while, you need some excitement, something new and fresh to get your heartbeat racing and eyes lightened. Talk to your manager and tell him/her that you wish to be put on a new project that you’ve never tried before; start making friends with people that you barely speak; start an office running group; or book a trip to a place where you have never been before! Spice up your life a little and you’ll find that your job is not all that boring.
If You’re Not Happy, Identify the Real Problem
What’s driving your disappointment in your job and perceived lack of meaning? If you cannot identify this issue, you’ll likely to fall into the same rut regardless of what career or position you choose. You often hear people (maybe including yourself) say, “I’m not happy at work,” or “I have no purpose in my job,” but what’s underneath that discontent?
Ask yourself questions, find out what the real problems are. Are you unhappy because your actual job responsibilities are causing your pain? That you don’t get along with your colleagues? Or the fact that you’re working in a field that doesn’t match your passion? Do you get paid way less than expected? Do you have conflicts with your boss? Are you feeling undervalued for the job you’re doing? These are some deep issues that you have to sort out. If you can’t identify the real problem, you’ll have a hard time finding happiness and satisfaction in work and life.
Stop Depending on Your Job for Meaning of Life
The most important thing is, do not depend on your job for the meaning of life. Too many people find themselves in a place where their sense of satisfaction and meaning is linked solely with their job. There should be meaning there, but it should also lie elsewhere.
What you do outside of work is just as important and even more. To find meaning elsewhere, consider investing more in yourself and your family. Think about how can you better yourself. Go ahead and take that taekwondo course you’ve been longing to take, or maybe join the ballet club during your after-hours. Think about what you could do to make your family happier. Take your kids to the park more often or host a home-baked pastry competition with your close relatives. Setting new goals outside of work, and you’ll achieve a great sense of satisfaction from there as well. When you feel more fulfilled outside of work, the feeling will likely carry over to your working hours.
As the largest career college in Canada with 50 campuses across the country, Academy of Learning College attributes the growth in our success to identifying the gap between the formal education available and the realities of the working world. We fulfill the needs of learners by developing customized programs for each student while meeting the requirements for convenient and effective training at an affordable cost. Browse our program list by province and find the best program that suits your needs!