Creating Meaning in Your Workplace

Occupational wellness encompasses satisfaction and meaning from your work. Given the amount of time you spend at work, finding fulfillment is an important contributing factor to your overall mental health and wellness, it’s critical that you have a healthy outlook about your occupation. Remember, wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making self-directed choices toward a healthier and more fulfilling life. You are always evolving in your process to achieve your fullest potential, you are conscious and deliberate in your development of the whole self. 

Are You Satisfied?

Bored, stuck, unfulfilled in your job? On average, we spend one-third of our life at work. The statistics for job satisfaction and fulfillment are dismal. Approximately 3 out of 4 people work simply for a paycheck. Most people feel overwhelmed and underappreciated. And it’s not all about money, 56% of employees surveyed agree they would be willing to take a pay cut to find a job they enjoy. What are they really looking for? Meaningful work. 

Consider yourself blessed if you have a job in which you experience fulfillment and purpose. In general, people who love their jobs, do so for several reasons. They enjoy the work and the tasks they perform. They love the company they work for, their work environment, their coworkers and they look forward to going to work. There is no perfect job but if you find 70% satisfaction in your job, you are fortunate.

Shane J. Lopez, Ph.D., a researcher on hope states, “good jobs are made, not found.” In other words, there are adjustments you can make to create for yourself a more fulfilling job experience. Colossians instructs us to put our heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. (3:23). 

Practical Tips to Help with Job Satisfaction:

1. Take ownership of your job. You are in charge of your attitude.
2. Foster relationships with your coworkers.
3. Focus on one task at a time, it helps you do a better job. Multitasking does not make you more productive. Your brain is not wired that way. 
4. Work from your strengths. This lessens stress, increases confidence and professional development.
5. Expect to have bad days. If you love 70% of your job – you’re fortunate.
6. Good self-care. Good mental health affects job satisfaction. 

A Means to An End

Sometimes your job is about meeting your financial needs and enables you to participate in activities and events that bring you fulfillment and meaning. Your occupation is a means to an end. When I began having children, staying home with them was a priority. I was eventually able to quit my job to be more available to my kids but I still needed to contribute financially to help make ends meet. I started a house cleaning business that afforded me a flexible schedule. I was able to adjust my work to coincide with my kids’ activities. I found fulfillment in this business because it helped us meet our goal of me being home with our kids.

Red Flags!

If you have given your job the old high school try and you are still feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied in your occupation, maybe it’s time to make a change. How do you know if you are at that point?

Here are some red flags to help you decide:

1. You dread getting out of bed to go to work….not just on Mondays.
2. You are experiencing poor work performance and relationships are suffering.
3. You find no joy or satisfaction in your tasks or their completion.
4. Loss of motivation and focus.
5. Your personality changes at work – you aren’t yourself.
6. You’re not using your strengths.
7. You complain a lot.
8. You dream of being fired….

Unfulfilled or Fulfilled?

Finding fulfillment and satisfaction in your job is tantamount to your own mental health and wellness. Spending eight-plus hours a day at a job that you hate is stressful or is in a toxic environment is counterproductive to your wellness. This leads to excessive stress, hopelessness, depression, and other issues leading to more serious health issues. If you find yourself in this predicament, stop and consider making a change. If you love your job or you are finding fulfillment because it’s a means to an end, count your blessings.