Email 
Bookmark 
Print How to Love the Job You've Got
by Claire Colvin
Every day we hear about people making radical career changes. The opportunities exist, but will all these changes make us any happier once we get there? Maybe the question is not "how can I get the job I'll love?", but "how can I love the job I have?" Following are four practical steps towards coming to terms with why you do what you're doing. Take some time to think about it, and you might be surprised by what you find.
- Realize that your job does not define you, but how you do it does. There's a lot to be said for attitude, more than will fit here. Any job can be done well, done with compassion, done with care. Your attitude at work and the way you treat people -- even your mood -- does not go unnoticed. They have a profound influence on the people you work with. There are times when you can't control your situation, but you can always choose how you live in it.
- Stop focusing on the money. Money will never be enough so stop using it (or the lack of it) as an excuse. Whatever you are bringing home on the 15th and 30th, there are always going to be things you could do or would do if you had more. Try taking tracking every penny you spend in a week. Seeing where your money is really going can help you to refocus your spending towards the things you really want. Getting paid is only one small part of what you do, your work has to be more than just a paycheck to be fulfilling.
- Find the significance in what you do. This may require you to think big, but it can be done. Take some time to really think about what you do. Do you provide an essential service? Do you get to see the finished product? Do you give direction that gets things done? Then ask yourself "how is this job done differently because I am doing it?" Perspective plays a huge role in personal satisfaction and sense of well being. Try to remember why you took the job in the first place. If it was only going to be "for now" are you actively looking for other work?
- Dare to ask yourself if it's worth it. If you can't find the part of your job that you like, or if you can see yourself turning into the person you said you would never be, consider the reasons. It may not be a new job that you need, just a new direction. Do you like the person you are doing this job? If not, are there changes you can make to the way you do your job or is the job itself the problem? Do you need to be doing a different position within the same company? Are additional responsibilities taking you away from the work you were hired to do? Maybe all that's needed is some refocusing. Learn to say "no". As much as you can choose the things you spend your time on, don't attend events or meetings only because everyone expects it.
Asking yourself why you do your job doesn't mean you're dissatisfied, just self-aware. This awareness can lead to greater job satisfaction, increased sense of well being and a little more control over what you do, rather than just "going along for the ride." For some, it may be time for a change – if so, don't be afraid of it. Change isn't necessarily bad, it's just different. For the rest of us, take a look around, you may find you've got a great view.
Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
Is this the life for you?
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you'll experience life to the fullest.
-Claire Colvin is the Editor of Women Today Magazine. She has a B. A. in English from Trinity Western University and thinks people should go barefoot more often.