Look around. How many of your coworkers walk around all day like they are absolutely miserable? Professionals of all backgrounds and specialty areas are walking in to work with a frown on their face counting down the hours until 5:00pm. They hate Mondays and spend all their energy waiting for Friday to arrive. Well fear no more! Below you will find some quick tips to make work a more fulfilling, enjoyable experience.
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOB! A lot of professionals accept a position that does not interest or challenge them because of the high salary, proximity to their home or simply because they don’t think they can do better. BIG MISTAKE. We spend more time at work than we do at home with our loved ones so choose a career that suits your interests and gives you that excited feeling in your stomach. It is true that we may not LOVE our job every moment of every day but we should enjoy our work more often than not.
- PLAN YOUR DAY IN ADVANCE! So many of my coaching clients complain that they hate their job when in reality their organizational skills are the problem. If you wake up late every morning, drag your feet into work, and are overwhelmed by the number of tasks you need to accomplish it’s time to get organized. One surefire way to minimize work-related anxiety is to prepare for your day the night before-iron your clothes, organize your work bag, and make your lunch. This way your morning will go more smoothly and you will arrive at work feeling focused and motivated to achieve excellence!
- START THE WEEK OFF RIGHT! Monday is a day of transition-even for those who are happily married to their work. Start your week off right by finding ways to look forward to your return to the office. You can accomplish this by treating yourself to your favorite lunch every Monday or starting the week with your favorite project. Whatever the incentive make certain that it is tailored to your motivational style, home life, and professional goals.
- BE SMART ABOUT HOW YOU SCHEDULE YOUR WEEK! Your schedule has a direct effect on your overall satisfaction at work. Be smart! When possible, reserve the more demanding projects for Tuesday through Thursday. Monday and Friday are “adjustment days” so the focus should be on low intensity tasks which do not require much preparation or concentration. Your work day should also be organized in a similar fashion-always begin with those projects that require your immediate attention or those that you least enjoy and end with a plan/outline for what needs to be addressed the next day.
- STOP BEING SPOILED! Western culture has taught us to believe that the world “owes us something.” College students are disgusted by the thought of working while they attend school and most employees have developed a “you don’t pay me enough” attitude. In order to start enjoying your work more you need to start appreciating what you have and start thinking more positively. Instead of spending all day obsessing over how much you hate your boss try being grateful for the fact that you even have a job! When you begin to change your attitude about work you will open your mind up to greater possibilities and a new, more focused approach to the work you do every day.
Your work should give you purpose-not drain you. With the right perspective and a decision to be happy you too can learn to enjoy walking in to work on Monday morning. For more tips and an individualized action plan email me for a FREE executive coaching consultation: info@excellencebymonicaguzman.com
Excellence By Monica Guzman 
Great article, especially how important it is to choose a job that has some meaning for one’s self. With that at the core, your other four suggestions come more easily. Thanks Monica.
LikeLike
Thank you so much for your comment Evan! Too many people complain about their work but fail to realize that they are responsible for their experience.
LikeLike
A very well written blog Ms. Guzman. You are the consummate professional!
LikeLike
Thank you very much Michele! Have an excellent day.
LikeLike
You are right. These are golden rules of life. As every rule has an exception otherwise it will not be a rule, it will be an universal truth. There are certain situation in one”s life this rule may not hold good. Of-course I am telling for those professional working in the past when situation was quite different. The word I.T was not known to the common professional.
LikeLike
Be genuinely interested in your work. This will help enjoyment in and during work. The famous scientist Edison, having worked 18 hours daily, had said,’I never worked any day. It was all fun !’ Let every one of us aim at that.
LikeLike