How are you feeling now you’re back at work?

We all make our own map of the world because we are viewing it through our own set of filters (values, past experiences, current circumstances, mood right in this moment, etc). And so is everyone else! And their view (truth) about the situation may be very different.  

Have you ever watched two people arguing about a referee’s decision in a sports match? The decision was the decision. They both saw it in real time at the same time, but what they believe to be true is quite different: for one it was a stone-wall penalty, for the other a blatant dive. 

It is key to remember, we each make our own model of the world which is true for us. Do you ever get people around you saying things like this:

• You should be really happy working for that organisation (business, school, academy chain, etc)
• You’re so lucky to have such an interesting job
• You just have to put up with it. At least you get paid at the end of the month

You’ll have your own versions of things people say that they expect you to agree with, but whatever they say, deep inside you just know that it doesn’t ring true for you. So it is super  important for you to check in with yourself and ask:

What do I really feel about my job?

In most businesses, things are ramping up again after the summer. If you work in education, you’re a few weeks into the new term. Answer these questions truthfully for yourself

• How’s it really going? 
• Are you enjoying being back and in the flow of work? 
• Are you actually in the flow of work?
• When you look at the year ahead, do you feel joy …or dread?
• If it's the latter, will you stick, or do something about it?

The thing is that we all have a choice of how we act and react in any situation, but most of the time we react “automatically” without stopping to think. 

What if you did stop just for a few seconds? 

Whatever you answered above, what if you stopped and paused to think about how you could act/respond in a way that would be really useful to you. 

Let's say you’re relishing the year ahead and loving your role. What are you going to do to make the most of that? What could you do to make it even better? How will you make sure that you feel the same at the end of the year?

What about if, having got a few weeks into the academic year, you are feeling down about work and looking ahead with a feeling of gloom and doom? Less than excited about the future? 

You do have a choice. You can decide to carry on as you are, or you can do something about it. Easy to say, of course, but what if you have no idea where to start? Of course I am here to help and here are a few things to get you going. 

Short term improvement: What could you do in the short term to make things better, even by just a little bit? 

• Off-load a bit of work that you don’t enjoy to somebody else who does? 
• Set a boundary to give yourself time to recharge and do things you enjoy with people you love to be with?
• Notice what you enjoy and the things that are good about work, and actively seek opportunities to do more of those things. 

For some, that leads to bigger actions that mean they start to enjoy work again and turn it into something they want to continue. If that doesn’t happen though, you need to rethink. 

Long term change: start to plan for a move away from where you are. It could be to another organisation, or a whole new career. Here are some important first steps:

• What are the skills and qualities you use in each task you do? Make a list and you’ll soon realise how transferable they are. 
• What do you need to get from work? Is it teamwork, trust, a certain type of manager, balance, and so on? Again, make a list.
• Make a list of the type of organisation or industry you’d be attracted to and use your network to find out how you could use your skills/qualities there (the ones you want to use), and whether they will give you what you need.

Of course, we don’t have room here to go into huge detail, so if you’re serious about getting more joy from your career, or at least making it better than it is now, lets have a chat. You can book a free Career Strategy session here: https://calendly.com/dave-careers/getmycareerontrack