Work is something we all have to do, which is why it's nice when your job is fun. If your job is not fun it can be incredibly annoying. Finding a new job is difficult and also not something that you 123 for. Still, you have to go to work every day and that is why it is helpful to somehow make your job fun.
That's why in this blog I'll discuss causes why work can't be fun and what you can do about it.
There are several reasons why your job is not fun. It can be due to external factors, such as your colleagues or your boss, and it can also be due to the job itself.
Annoying colleagues
Bullying is unfortunately something that doesn't end for everyone after their college career. When you get a new job or due to circumstances at your existing job, you can suddenly find yourself the victim of nasty co-workers.
These don't even have to bully yet, but this can also be annoying.
A colleague who only talks about his/her children can be very annoying to some people. But teasing, which is not appreciated can also spoil your enjoyment of work.
To stop this kind of teasing, it's best to mention it to your colleagues first. In some cases, people don't even realize they are teasing. So just stating that you find the behavior annoying can be enough to stop it.
In the process, boosting your self-confidence and self-assurance is also a great way to better cope, so that the behavior of colleagues has less impact on your job satisfaction.
Dull Office
A dull office is one of the most annoying things that can happen to you. Sufficient oxygen in a room is very important for your ability to concentrate. It is not for nothing that companies like Google invest in having a nice office for their employees.
If you have your own desk, you can at least brighten it up with fun photos and a plant. Especially if you suffer from a musty office, it is smart to put up a plant that filters the air well and produces lots of oxygen.
Aloe Vera, for example, is a plant that purifies the air well. In fact, if the plant gets brown spots it is an indicator of air pollution.
Thereby, research shows that adding plants to the workplace, especially if it has no windows, is good for your productivity at work, your blood pressure, and how attentive you are.
No challenging work
Being able to do your work almost on autopilot can be very unpleasant for your job satisfaction. You may almost get the idea that you have to spend 8 hours folding clothespins when your work really involves more than that.
When faced with this problem, it's best to request a review meeting with your manager, or just talk about this informally. Especially if you have a new job, this can also be a sign of a manager who wants you to get used to the new situation before you get the real "problems" in your lap. So perhaps there is nothing to worry about.
Is this not the case? Then you can always ask if you can do more or if there are other tasks you may perform.
Bore out at work
The counterpart to burnout at work is boreout. In fact, not liking your work can also be a symptom of boreout. A bore-out is actually characterized by 3 problems.
- You have a crisis in why you are actually doing this work. What does this work mean to you and also perhaps to society. Who actually benefits from the work you do.
- You're bored at work. This is the characteristic from which bore-out gets its name.
- You feel like this work can't teach you anything new.
A bore-out also affects the quality of work you deliver, according to research. For example, a bore-out takes a lot of energy, which of course is not fun when you are working. If you have creative or innovative work, a boreout also negatively affects your creativity. It makes problem solving more difficult, even though you don't necessarily realize it.
Especially the crisis about the meaning of your work and the feeling of not being able to grow have a negative effect on your job satisfaction and being able to do your job well. Boredom does not have that effect.
Test bore-out
Not sure if you just don't like your work or if you are suffering from bore-out. Then you can check the following statements:
- Time passes very slowly at my work.
- I'm bored at work.
- I often spend my time aimlessly.
- I feel restless at work.
- I daydream at work.
- It seems like my workday never ends.
- I often do things other than work at my job.
- There's not much to do at my job.
If you recognize yourself in most of these statements, it is at least clear that you are bored to death at work and you need to do something about it to prevent the quality of your work from being maintained.
Tips to make your work more enjoyable
There are multiple ways to make your work more enjoyable. Mental techniques are great for this. That's why I've written down some tips for you.
Tip #1: Change the way you look at your work.
Especially if you are salaried, chances are you categorize work into time rather than activities. This is also well reflected in job satisfaction by people in salaried and, for example, self-employed workers. Self-employed people often set themselves a goal at the beginning of the workday. For example, a tiler may determine that he will set 1,000 tiles that day and when he has succeeded, he goes home.
Focusing on the tasks at hand rather than the time allows you to forget about time for a while.
Tip #2: Use mindfulness during work.
Especially if the clock is your worst enemy and that it does run agonizingly slow those last two hours of the workday, mindfulness is a great way to keep you focused on your work instead of the clock. Every time your head unconsciously turns to that clock you are actually fantasizing about your "free time" then quickly focus back on your breathing and on the task at hand.
Tip 3: Start working earlier.
If you are lucky enough that your boss mainly wants you to work for 8 hours, but doesn't care if you get there at 8 or 10, you can start earlier. Start at the earliest possible time. Nothing is more fun than being the first in the office and waving everyone off around 4 or so.
Is this not possible? Then at least come on time. Taking some work time away from the boss's time here and there will only convince yourself more that you don't like your job.
Tip 4: Devise new tasks.
Sometimes there just isn't enough work to go around. That's when you can clean up your own desk, for example. Sorting documents, watering the plants. Help a colleague who does have enough work.
Tip 5: Connect the dots.
Take pride in performing your work to perfection. Everything you create is double-checked to ensure quality. By making your work something you are proud of, you will also identify yourself with that more than with the money you make from it. The time is money thought is then converted to quality is money thought.
Tip #6: Don't take your colleagues too seriously.
Especially if you are bothered by annoying colleagues, it is good to know that many people take on roles when they are at work. This can be great fun to observe and identify the roles of your colleagues. You may even be able to use it to your own advantage.
Tip #7: Throw in your schedule.
If it is possible for you to schedule tasks yourself, you can add variety by rearranging your day for a change. Just as changing food makes people eat and changing a workout makes exercise effective again, changing your schedule can make you less concerned with time and more concerned with your task.
Want to learn more about mental techniques to make your life more enjoyable? Then come to a seminar of the Hypnosis Institute Netherlands.
Sources:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpim.12239/full
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3f95/6c248fa4ed3f6d246a542b8c593be10d92f0.pdf
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201201/coping-boredom-work
http://www.wilmarschaufeli.nl/publications/Schaufeli/409.pdf
Bram
on31 Jan 2018