I consider myself very fortunate that every day I get to wake up and do what I absolutely love. It’s this affection that I have for the tasks and challenges that fill my day that keeps me going when there’s a need for a 16 hour shift or when the little inevitable irritants start to pile up. I believe that we spend too much time at our jobs to be able to justify working at a place that makes you unhappy. Do you find yourself wondering if the career path you’ve chosen might not be the perfect fit? Here’s some things to consider that might make it easier to decide if you’re in occupational utopia or if its time to update that resume.
What is your first thought when you wake up in the morning?
Roughly 15 years ago I made a vow to myself: if the first thought in my head when I open my eyes in the morning is “I don’t want to go to work today” then I would quit that job immediately. It has been a great policy, and one that I’ve only had to act on once. Knowing that I’m free to step away when its needed helps me to not dwell on things when they go wrong. These days, more often than not I jump out of bed eager to get started on whatever I have planned for the day. I’m the type of person that if I’m not at least 15 minutes early then I’m late. Sleepless nights, on the rare occasion they happen, are not caused by dread, but instead by an inescapable need to figure things out. When you’re passionate about what you do, its difficult to shut your brain down.
Do you watch the clock when its nearing the end of your shift?
I have the luxury of working from home and my office is closed off from the rest of the world, free from distractions. Every afternoon though, some time after my work day is supposed to be over, my husband will come and remind me that there’s a world outside these four walls. If he didn’t, I’d likely never realize that I should have stopped 6 hours prior. Some days it leads to a back and forth…
“Let me just finish this”
“Does it have to be done right now?”
“No but I’m so close”
“You can finish it tomorrow”
“Just 15 more minutes”
“15 minutes always turns into three hours”
He’s getting better at winning those debates. The point is, if you can’t wait for the day to be over then your job probably doesn’t make you feel like a kid in a candy store.
Are you learning and growing over time?
There are endless opportunities to learn at work – take advantage of experienced coworkers and challenge yourself to try new things. If you find yourself responding, “I don’t know how to do that” when you get a request and leave it there, then you’re missing out on a chance for personal development. If you don’t take the chance to find the person who does know and ask them to teach you, then you probably aren’t very enthusiastic about your job. My career has taken many twists and turns as I’ve proactively sought out new experiences and skills. I would have never guessed in a million years that I’d wind up being where I am today. Personal growth can be an endless source of professional satisfaction.
Hopefully you are working your dream job – one that fills you with excitement and rewards your passion. Life is too short to have a job that you hate. Its not fair to you, your coworkers or your employer when your job makes you miserable. If you find yourself dreading work, its time to start making a plan to move on and find something that makes you happy.
