Nov. 22, 2006 10:23 a.m.
By Allyson Lewis
JONESBORO, Ark. -- You have met one or two of them; they're in every company. They pass you on the elevator each morning with smiles on their faces. They grab coffee from the break room just like you. They sit in offices just like yours. They even receive paychecks just like yours -- but something about them is radically different from you: They love their jobs!
You can see it in the way they walk; you can see it in their daily activities and you can certainly see it in their productivity and the quality of their work. Then, you find yourself asking, "Why do I feel stuck in this place, while they seem to thrive?"
The difference is they are thriving because they are living a life they love. So here are seven (and a half) thoughts on how you, too, can life a life you love:
Be true to your purpose. Take time to reflect on understanding your strengths and passions. Complete the following statement, "My purpose in life isÂ…".Do you thrive as a leader? As a listener? As an encourager? As a creator? As an implementer? Once you are able to align your passions with your daily activities, your productivity and level of fulfillment at work will soar.
Have an honest conversation with your supervisor and co-workers. Host a conversation regarding the true vision for where the company is going. It is possible you have not fully understood the real importance of your job? Once you recognize how your talents and skills contribute to the value of the company you may quickly regain respect for your work.
Re-establish written priorities and boundaries for your life.For you to live a life you love, you must first determine what parts of life you really value most.What is most important to you? Is it your faith, family, health, financial security, hobbies?When was the last time you made a written list of your priorities? Often we allow the unimportant parts of our life to squeeze out our favorite activities. Re-establish written priorities.
Reclaim your day.If you had a timer that could go on and off as you worked on productive tasks and unproductive tasks during the work day, how much time would you say you spend accomplishing and completing productive projects and how much time re-arranging stacks of paper?First, make a list of all of the projects you need to complete, then place a ranking of importance beside each task and spend quality time focusing on completing one task at a time. You will love your job more when you have a feeling of accomplishment and control.
Do what you like and delegate what you don't like.We are all born with individual gifts and talents. Focus on utilizing your strengths. Spend your workday doing what you love to do and learn to delegate your weaknesses. If you work on a team, have open and honest conversations regarding how each of you can be most valuable to achieving your overall objectives.
Clean it up.Disorganization is one of the biggest causes of dissatisfaction at work and at home. Clutter makes you feel stress in your life. When you drive to work in a trashed out car, psychologically you start the day feeling out of control.When you sit in a cluttered workspace, it can make you feel defeated before you even start. Make it a top priority to tend to, file or throw away all of the paper that stands between you and a better work experience.
Make a decision to grow and embrace change.When was the last time you mastered a new skill? If you want to re-ignite the passion for your work -- choose to raise the bar on what you expect of yourself. Come in to work 15 minutes early, read journals and trade magazines to know what is going on in your profession. When you read about a superstar in your industry, pick up the phone and call him/her. Find out who is the expert of the cutting edge concepts and technologies in your company and ask him/her to be your mentor. Consider going back to college. The more you grow, the more you will know and the more valuable you will become -- not only to your company, but in your own heart as well.
Here's the "half": The biggest secret of all is that you will live a life you love when you learn to be grateful for the blessings you already have. Take out a piece of paper and write down ten things you actually love about your job. Think back to your first day at your company. What were you most excited about? Life is full of blessings; sometimes we need to focus on the positive parts of our work and our lives.
The real secret to never having to work begins when we take our eyes off of ourselves and we focus on helping improve the lives of all of those around us.When you give joy, you will find joy. When you love life first, you will love everything that comes with it-- including your job.
Allyson Lewis, author of The Seven Minute Difference: Small Steps to Big Changes, has spent the last 23 years developing and teaching concrete yet actionable life changing concepts. She is a motivational speaker and strategic consultant and author of The Million Dollar Car and $250,000 Pizza.
Copyright 2006 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio