Written by: Laura Foster, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The past year will go down in history as a year that changed how many of us think about our relationship with our work.
In the beginning, many people initially had fears about keeping their job, and then, the reality of figuring out how to do that job from home with all the distractions that accompany this- homeschooling kids, dogs, making three meals a day.
This has highlighted a misalignment in our culture around what we expect from our work and how we interact with it.
Far too many of us were told, "You can do anything you want. Find a career you love, and money and joy will follow." For so many people, this didn't happen. We were all sold a damaged bill of goods.
According to the latest Gallup poll, 67% of Americans are disengaged with their work. Clearly, this isn’t sustainable for us as a society.
This is something I know all too well. Before pursuing my own business as a coach and speaker, I was a fashion designer. I knew early on this was my “calling,” and I worked hard to make that dream come true.
Then, in 2007 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I realized that this job I was supposed to love was causing me a great deal of anxiety and pain. I knew I needed to change, and at the time, I had no idea where to start.
As a coach, I’m interacting with so many people who are at that inflection point now- they know that the work they’re doing isn’t truly satisfying, but they don’t have any idea how to change. Many are starting to think about legacy and what they want to leave behind.
I’ve seen that those who are willing to use this time for their own growth have been slowing down and questioning what work really means to them. They’ve realized that they no longer want to do anything that doesn’t have meaning and purpose because life is too precious and too short to wait until some nebulous future when their real lives (and their real work) can begin.
You may be one of the small percentage of people who love your work, but I guarantee that you are adjacent to someone who feels like they are suffocating in their current role. This is my sweet spot as a coach, supporting people in finding more meaning, more purpose, and more joy right now in the work they’re already doing. Even if the answer is to ultimately move on ultimately, there is so much opportunity in whatever their current role is. Because if there’s one thing I know, the same issues will follow us from job to job until we deal with them.
I find that this is especially important for all levels of leadership, not just for us but for those we lead.
Here are a few key elements I’ve found that have helped my clients find more meaning and purpose in their work.
Realize you have a choice. In most instances, someone doesn’t come to your house every day and force you into a chair to do your work. You CHOOSE to get up and go to work. Yes, if you don’t go to work and lose your job, there would be consequences- but realizing that YOU are the one deciding to work and not someone else can drastically shift the way you view your work. You are creating your own life with every single choice you make.
Get really clear about where work falls on your list of priorities. You may have already considered this but- slow down. Is it number one? Or is your family or your primary relationship number one? Assess how you spend your time. Is that assessment in line with your priorities? And if it’s not- what can you do to shift this so that work is more in alignment with what truly matters to you?
Take ownership of your thinking, behaviors, and actions at work. I actually thought that every single boss I ever had was a jerk. Certainly, that could not be true. The common denominator was me. Where are you blaming others for the things that are actually within your control? How are you proactive in making your situation better for yourself? (Which is likely better for your company.) Where are you playing the role of the victim because it’s just easier? Get honest. Owning our part in our dissatisfaction can be a primary step in creating change.
Are you willing to use work as a catalyst for your own growth? Because if you are- there’s so much satisfaction on the other side for you.
I’m passionate about helping leaders find more joy, more enthusiasm, and more fulfillment in their work. Follow me for more on this topic.
I occasionally lead online workshops around work and our relationships with it. My next workshop is called “How to Fall (Back) in Love with Your Work” on the 22nd of May 2021. Here's the link if you’d like to learn more and register. And, if this date has passed, reach out to me and let me know you’d like to be informed of future workshops.
Laura Foster, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
As a Life and Leadership for Entrepreneurs and Executives, Laura works with men and women hungry for change in their relationships with work. She spent over 25 years in corporations as a creative professional and founded several companies, including a nonprofit in Ethiopia. With over 20 years of experience speaking, leading workshops, and facilitating groups inside and outside organizations, she's coached clients in leadership levels at companies such as HBO, NBC, Netflix, Critical Mass, and Google. Laura is passionate about helping leaders find more joy, more enthusiasm, and more fulfillment in their work, positively impacting every other area of their lives.
