What to do when work loses its flavour
Published:Wednesday | March 16, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Glenford Smith, Career Writer
I frequently receive emails from readers who express deep dissatisfaction with their jobs, but who see no way out but to 'grin and bear it'. These correspondences invariably come with a 'do not publish' directive. This is understandable since no one wants to risk being identified by his or her employer as being bored, unmotivated, unfulfilled and fed up with the job he or she tries so hard to appear excited about.
So without the risk of revealing anyone's identity, this column will help all those who have lost their passion for work, those who struggle to summon the energy to give their best at a job that's crushing their spirit while admittedly paying the bills.
The first thing is to identify the real reason why you're no longer passionate about the job. Don't make snap judgments or uncritical assumptions. Consider whether you're just physically tired and need to take a vacation in which you can rest and recharge your batteries. Physical exhaustion at work is a major cause of burnout and low morale. Working moms and persons with multiple jobs are especially vulnerable in this regard.
Personal problems
Feeling that you're not being paid what you're worth is another major reason many lose their motivation for work. Working hard and being unable to pay the bills can be very discouraging.
Anxieties about personal problems including a troubled love relationship, death of a loved one, ill health, or financial stress can also take a huge emotional toll. While seemingly unrelated to the job, personal problems have huge potential for negatively affecting our attitudes, work performance and job satisfaction.
Doing work that doesn't tap into your natural passion or engage your interests and best talents is another prime culprit for work-related angst. If you constantly think about doing something else, changing careers, or simply quitting, then you may either have outgrown your job, or are being awakened to new career possibilities.
Finally, working with or for people you either don't like or respect may be responsible for feeling fed up with work. Most of the unhappiness at work comes from resentment caused by unresolved conflicts with colleagues or bosses.
Having identified the real reason you've lost your enthusiasm for your job, you have to decide what to do next, and do it. Your first option is to simply change your attitude about your job. To change your attitude, change your focus at work. Take pride in your contribution. Be grateful you have a job, even if you're not being paid top dollars. Accept that even the perfect job has aspects of boredom, frustration and challenge about it.
Glenford Smith is a motivational speaker and success strategist.