I Can't Get No Satisfaction: 3 Tips for Creating Deeper Fulfillment at Work



Posted: Sunday, February 10, 2008

by Carolyn Beale
Michele Wahlder

Did you know that the average American will spend 96,400 hours at work in his or her lifetime?

That's a lot of time, especially if that average American is unfulfilled or dissatisfied with their job. If you're finding yourself in a less than savory work situation, here are three tips you can start to apply to your job (and your life) today, to create more meaning, deeper satisfaction and greater opportunities at work.

1. Give up your victim mentality - Take an active role in seeking happiness in the here and now. Many of us are tempted to think, "If only ________ would happen or be different at work, I would be happy." We can NOT act like victims of our work situations, putting our happiness on hold for things outside of our control. What you can change is your attitude (which you can control) about your career, as it is now. Then, with a healthier perspective, you can be a “victor" and take the next right steps for yourself.

2. Practice an attitude of gratitude – Practicing gratitude is an excellent way to refocus your mind toward what is positive in your life and in your work. We all have something that we can feel grateful for. Does your current job provide you with money for the necessities of life? Do you have a least one co-worker that you look forward to greeting each morning? Did your heart continue to beat while you slept last night? These basics that we all can easily take for granted need to be acknowledged daily. Begin looking for people, places, or things to be grateful for throughout the day. It will cultivate a spirit of appreciation within you and redirect your mind and your heart towards what is working for you.

3. Create YOUR Day. Perhaps your job, by its very nature, doesn't give you opportunities to use your strongest talents or natural abilities. Create those opportunities yourself. "My job didn't offer much in the ways of creativity," says my client, Lisa. "So I cooked up my own ways to express myself. I initiated an employee relations bulletin board and designed some new training programs, instead of the ol' run of the mill ones they'd used for years." If your passion is people, and you're crunching numbers, you might look for opportunities throughout the day to connect with others, in the break room, with clients on the phone, or by facilitating an icebreaker at the next staff meeting. Grandma Moses said, "Life is what you make it, always has been, always will." Well, guess what? The same applies to work!

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