Hello friends.
I know that there’s a number of you suffering from burnout – in fact, I remember going through this same exact feeling one year ago, when instead of quitting, I decided to retire.
If you’re in a position that’s not fulfilling or exciting, check out this article:
- How to make any job more meaningful, according to a positive psychology researcher – https://www.fastcompany.com/90833261/how-to-make-any-job-more-meaningful-according-to-a-positive-psychology-researcher
To be honest, I don’t know if you can make ANY job meaningful – especially if you, for example, have an extremely hostile boss. However, I do believe that you can find ways to make your current job meaningful – or maybe at least make the job you currently have more like the job you want to have in the future.
(Side note: That’s what I did last Spring – made the job that I was currently in more like the job I wanted to have in the future. So, I started doing more speaking engagements, Life Design Catalyst (LDC) Trainings, and connecting more with the LDC Tribe as they moved towards creating their own meaningful work.)
The article states that there are three things you can do to make your job meaningful:
- Feel we’re contributing to something that matters.
- Are given challenging opportunities to grow and improve our skills.
- Experience belonging as part of a community.
Turn these three things into questions, then apply to your own life:
- Am I contributing to something that matters to me (AND making a difference in the lives of others)?
- Have I been given challenging opportunities to grow and improve my skills? Have I taking advantage of these opportunities?
- Do I feel like I’m a part of a community? Do I feel like I’m a part of something special?
As I think about my current position at Davidson Davie Community College, I could say “yes” to each of the answers, but I could also say that my “yes” is lukewarm at best for all three. The one things that’s missing from this – are you actually doing meaningful work in the first place? Is what you’re doing right now at work something you REALLY want to do – or is it something that’s tying you over until something better comes along – or it’s just taking care of bills at the moment?
Use this long weekend for many of us (Martin Luther King Jr Holiday) to think about your meaningful work – is your current work meaningful work, work that resonates with you Yes or No? If not, why not?
How’s that for something to think about for the weekend?
P.S. If you can’t access the article link, check out the pdf here: How to make any job more meaningful, 1-13-23
The Dream Dean 