You have dreamed about an ideal job in which you are motivated, inspired, respected and well paid. But in reality, you have had to settle for something that falls a bit short of your ideal. Maybe it started as your dream job and for a time you loved it. But now you find it harder and harder to get through the day.
Lack of job satisfaction can be a significant source of stress. Reasons why you
may not be completely satisfied with your job include:
• Conflict between co-workers;
• Conflict with your supervisor; Not being appropriately paid for what you do;
• Not having the necessary equipment or resources to succeed;
• Lack of opportunities for promotion;
• Having little or no say in decisions that affect you.
Sometimes it is the job itself that causes dissatisfaction. For example, the work may be boring, or ill-suited to your interests, education and skills.
An effective way to improve your job satisfaction is using positive thinking to reframe your thoughts about your job. Changing your attitude about work will not necessarily happen overnight. But if you are alert to the ways your view of work brings you down, you can improve your job satisfaction. Try these techniques:
Stop negative thoughts. Pay attention to the messages you give yourself. When you catch yourself thinking your job is terrible, stop the thought in its tracks. 6 Look for the silver lining. “Reframing” can help you find the good in a bad situation. For example, you receive a less than perfect performance appraisal and your boss warns you to improve or move to another job. Instead of taking it personally or looking for another job right away, look for the silver lining. Depending on where you work, the silver lining may be attending continuing education classes, working closely with a performance coach and having the satisfaction of showing your boss you are capable of change.
Learn from your mistakes. Failure is one of the greatest learning tools, but many people let failure defeat them. When you make a mistake at work, learn from it and try again.
Be grateful. Gratitude can help you focus on what is positive about your job. Ask yourself, “What am I grateful for at work today?” You may enjoy meeting new friends at work, or you may cherish the opportunities you are offered. No matter what it is, find at least one thing you are grateful for.
Whatever job you take, making the best of difficult work situations by being positive will help you manage your stress and experience the rewards of your profession.