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Work is associated with different things by different people. You may associate it with sacrifice, or some form of effort – or perhaps it’s an identity you hold on to.
Maybe you consider your work to be a contribution to the world, or an effort to achieve something you want further down the track, or something you do in the service of good and for others.
Work can be boring at times, especially the parts of a workday that involve mundane and menial tasks. Work can also create worry.
As with most things in life, though, how you choose to see your work and the clearer you are on your relationship to work, the easier it can be to show up on the more challenging days.
Which leads me to this question: What path will you choose at work in 2024; a path of misery or a path of joy?
Here are three key ideas to ponder on in response to this question.
Idea 1: Find your purpose at work
Feeling more joy at work is about getting clear on the things at work that serve you.
Jackie is a cleaner out at Melbourne Airport. She comes from a developing country, English is not her first language, and to the airport community she is a hero. Jackie has been recognised countless times for her efforts at work and her human spirit, all while scrubbing toilets, changing bins and mopping floors. Each time I see Jackie, she reminds me that each of us have different needs in our workplace and what brings us joy at work each day is unique to the individual.
Tapping into what lights you up, what fuels your passions – being aware of your contribution to the world – fulfils a deep need for meaning in the human spirit. The workplace is one of the most common places to meet this need, In fact!
For Jackie, as she has explained it to me, each time she encounters someone at work – customer or colleague – she sees it as an opportunity to show her human spirit. This is her purpose, and it serves her.
Idea 2: Stop comparing your work life
Will you begin your year comparing your work life to someone else’s? Or perhaps comparing your present work life to your previous experiences? If you find yourself sitting in a pool of comparison, straight up, be aware that this will steal your joy. As Theodore Roosevelt once said, ‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’
Choose to stay where you are and pay attention to your mindset. Or choose to leave your present workplace and get on with life.
Idea 3: Let go of your self-focus and be more others-focused
Sometimes your joy may be diminished when you push ideas, solutions and work in a direction that is not needed or seen as helpful by others. Like a joyful chef who excitedly cooks a lavish, gourmet meal, only to realise that the guests were craving simple sandwiches.
When you find ways to let go of your self-focus and be more others-focused, and when you can activate something within the person you’re serving, you’re creating a meaningful exchange with them, even if it wasn’t what you’d planned.
When other people’s eyes light up or they smile because of your work, joy is closer to your heart – even if the work was just providing a sandwich.
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