This article contains information on how to enjoy that unfulfilling job in 2020.
In a continent like Africa, where unemployment and job dissatisfaction is on the rise and this is a stigma that we’ve not been able to recover from. Thousands of graduates flood out of the university with little or no hope of getting a job and even if little percent do, they are jobs that have nothing to do with the employee’s professional life. You can imagine a Civil Engineer working as a cashier in a bank. Very sad! So if you find yourself in that situation, where you are “forced” to take jobs you know from the first day at the job was never for you, but you had to take it to put body and soul together, what do you do?
Let’s share with you some proven ways to enjoy those jobs at least for the meantime. Sure you know, half bread is better than nothing! And there’s always a way to enjoy the life you want regardless of your situation.
TIPS ON HOW TO ENJOY THAT UNFULFILLING JOB
1. Know what you want
Even before venturing into any job, it is important to dig deep into your heart to know what you want from life itself and who you are. What is the core of your strength? When you are lucky to find out this even though it is an ongoing process, you can make the best out of your situation. For instance, if you are a business management graduate, but got a job in a secondary school as a teacher, can you make lemonades out of the lemon? In a secondary school, there are business ventures that can thrive, get the school management and students involved in your business ideas. Every business is established with the sole aim of making money including schools. If your idea is feasible, they jump into it and you can be the “Joseph” of the team. Just like that, you are already living your dream!
2. Avoid Negativities
It is natural and easy for humans to be attracted to negative situations and search for excuses that appeal to their senses. You freak out or throw tantrums at your subordinates and even bosses for no just cause. But in this type of situation, this would only worsen your productive life. You should find the positives in that role. Whether it is getting an idea for your own business or how you have been helping people meet their needs, you are guaranteed to find something that you like about your job. Just be open. Highlight them in a list, place them before your desk and focus on providing value. there are some bosses that love food, that can be funny though, but it is true, you can sometimes decide to buy him his favourite lunch. Do you know what that does? It throws a signal to your boss that you are interested in his welfare and that alone can give you access to him. As a boss, it is expected that he has an impressive network, which in the future can be an advantage for you. In fact, if there are promotional offers in your office, guess who would come to the mind of your boss? You, of course. It is that simple.
3. Work on your personality too
The true value of your job is not dependent on your position, but your personality. So focus on that! This might not be easy especially when your pay is not equal to your task. But does that affect the real you? No, it doesn’t. When you are given an assignment, do it well. If you have an idea for the company, pitch! Give your best; you never know who is watching. Your poor pay now should not be an excuse to do a poor job. Never let that happen. There are countless stories of people who were promoted, got better jobs through recommendation by their previous employers. You don’t expect yourself to be there forever, it might just take a while. Let this settle in your subconscious.
4. Focus on your goals
Every successful person has goals, long and short term and they are broken into bits to look achievable and so should you. Do not forget to focus on your goals and how your job would help you achieve each of them. What do I mean by this? You can create a road map right from your current unfulfilling job on how you are going to get there. Maybe you need to get another degree like a master’s or other certifications. Maybe you have not been able to get another job because you do not have the necessary certification for it, make plans to get them. These goals and plans keep you motivated at your current job by reminding you that your current position is serving your overall goal after all. If you can place the goals in a very easily accessible place to remind you of your plans, the better for you. So your current position is simply assisting you to maintain a steady income while you plan your exit. If need be, keep a list of these goals or a reminder of your current job’s purpose nearby so that you are always reminded that, while it is not wanted at the moment, this job is more than necessary. Technology has made it very easy to acquire a degree even while working as a full-time staff through self-paced online classes especially. A lot of universities and training institute are keying into this potential, all you should do is find them and adjust your plan to accommodate them. For your information too, online schools are well cheaper in terms of tuition.
5. Find inspiration
Sure you’ve heard the stories of most famous entrepreneurs or talented business people. There is something common amongst them. They started with one unfulfilling or frustrating job that triggered them to find another career path they were passionate about. Works experience is in phases, so as a young graduate this is one of such phrases. If you have these in mind, you can find succour by learning the art of enjoying the phases by creating systems that work for you. In fact, somewhere even jobless and their frustrations led them to their breakthroughs. You have a job, though unfulfilling, it can lead you to your breakthrough too.
6. Track your successes
Take track of your minor and major successes. When last did you achieve something in your current position? How did you feel? Excited, I assume. You can reward yourself if you can. Achieving success no matter the kind of job provides a kind of motivation that keeps you moving especially when you are recognized for them. So you can motivate yourself by achieving small and simple tasks and keeping a track of them. When you see that you are more than capable of being successful in your workplace especially with that little task, that hunger for achievement will grow and you will be able to accomplish more difficult tasks with ease and with the desire to do so.
7. Your emotional health is important
Take care of your emotional well-being. Whether when you are exhausted, experience family issues at home, difficulty in the workplace, try your best to maintain your cool. You do not have to transfer aggression or worry; it does not solve any problem. Even if it’s a job that you enjoy, “you can’t perform well if your emotional quality isn’t in good shape”. Observe your breaks, relax and ask questions when you are not in sync, stay around co-workers that you seem to be free with, take a walk or do any nice thing that suits you. It goes a long way in striking that balance. If you’re happy, you’ll perform well. Some bosses can be the reason for your worry, why not find out how best you can satisfy him by asking you’re your other colleagues close to him.
In conclusion, while changing the job might not be an option at the moment, finding motivations is. Do your job, keeping in mind that you would be out of there for a better place soon! But pending that time, make the best of it now!
