9 ways to rediscover your joy at work
E60: Want to escape the rat race? Don't, until you've tried this!
How many times have you thought of - or even tried - leaving the rat race only to find yourself still in it?
Maybe it’s those endless whirring of words and thoughts and deadlines grinding away ceaselessly - once again - as soon as your brain fires up in the morning, and you reluctantly, almost robotically, start your day.
Secretly you just want to roll back up in bed and let the world carry on by itself so you get just a little bit of respite.
The joy with which you started your career has petered out, but where has it gone?
You feel stuck. Trapped by the trappings of an irresistible income or an inner competitive drive to stay where you are to build the reputation that you've diligently cultivated. Yet you yearn for something different, for something to change.
Maybe you could be fired, so you can have a fresh start? You could then quit the rat race altogether, or find another job that's “better for you”. You nod, convincing yourself that that'll be "a fresh beginning".
But you're not convinced, are you?
Before you pack it all in, it might be time to do something perhaps more drastic than getting out of the rat race or swapping your job.
Join the journey to rediscovering your joy at work.
Sometimes the most effective action you can take is to refocus on what's important to you. Rather than dropping out of the rat race, it is possible to stay where you are and, instead, rediscover the joy in what you already do. Many of my clients are testament to this.
How do we do that? Well, below I've shared nine ways that my clients and I have found helpful in rediscovering joy at work. Scroll below to find out more about each one.
1. Create the conditions for your brain to be joyful
2. Discover what brings you joy and double down on it
3. Find your trusted guides
4. Bring out the best in others
5. Do work that aligns with your values
6. Press the "permission" button on your remote control
7. Remind yourself what's going well
8. The best teachers of joy are dogs
9. Create tiny moments of joy
For some of you, that might be just the right balance of what you need - what makes you tick.
For others, you'll know you need to drop out of the rat race and find another home.
Maybe with these nine ways, you'll rediscover enough joy where you are now so that you can flourish in your race on your own terms.
Over to you
How will you rediscover the joy in your work?
1. Create the conditions for your brain to be joyful
I woke up earlier this week feeling like a failure. I had seen some posts from other coaches about the successes they've had, and the growth they've experienced in themselves and their businesses. I started thinking about why I was "so behind".
When I have these kinds of thoughts I always check in with myself to see if I'm still adhering to the foundations for health.
Have I got good sleep?
Have I been at least 80% compliant with an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense, whole foods diet largely along these lines . The hormones that regulate our mood, how anxious we are, how well we sleep, and how clearly we think are largely determined by the fuel we put into our bodies.
Have I been outdoors first thing to kick start my circadian rhythms?
Have I been breathing into my belly (rather than my chest) when I'm feeling low or anxious?
2. Discover what brings you joy and double down on it
It sounds obvious, but I often found myself in patterns of complaining, like when I railed against a client who forced me to cancel my evening plans again because they only responded to my email at 9 pm.
It's easy to focus on the frustration of the job. Or to think that some of the tangible aspects of the job, like a big bonus, are what will bring you joy.
Instead, take an inventory of what brings you joy at work.
Answer the following questions to give you a good steer:
Where do you do your best work? Note down the physical space, location, temperature, cleanliness, commute distance etc
When do you do your best work? This is not just the time of day, but the amount of time - the duration you work, breaks, your relationship to deadlines, timeliness etc
With whom do you do your best work? Think about your social environment - do you like working alone, with teams around you like the buzz of an office?
What are you doing when you do your best work? What tasks are you best at? eg problem-solving, strategising, speaking, writing etc
When you've noted these down, work out
How much of the work you actually do aligns with this?
What is in your control to change it?
Who might be able to support you in changing it?
3. Find your trusted guides
A common thread that comes up with my clients is that the quality of their experience at work depends on the relationships they foster and the culture.
Do you feel a sense of belonging and trust with the people you spend your days with?
It's said that you are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most.
So, invest in those individuals at work who can guide you.
4. Bring out the best in others
We all have annoying colleagues who press our buttons. They're like joy vampires. The moment they walk into the room, your mood changes.
Here's a reminder about how to bring joy to yourself whilst bringing out the best in others, including your annoying colleagues 👉
Effortless Thursdays #17: SAVE don't praise
5. Do work that aligns with your values
Values are a guiding principle for life.
If you're not sure what your own values are or want some help identifying them, this is a good online resource.
You might not have 100% control over the work you do or the colleagues you're working with. That's ok.
Aim as much as possible to seek out the type of work and the kinds of people that align with you.
6. Press the "permission" button on your remote control
If you're a perfectionist like me, joy can be sucked away when you feel everything has to be “just right”.
Try choosing your "permission" channel on your remote. Read more here 👉
Effortless Thursdays #41: It must be hard having a perfectionist brain
7. Remind yourself what's going well
Perfectionists (aka most professionals and creative entrepreneurs!) have a great aptitude to focus on what's going wrong. They're great at solving problems. But that can drain the joy from you over time.
Where you place your attention determines the quality of your experience. If you're looking for more joy, here's a reminder of how 👉
8. The best teachers of joy are dogs
Dogs are great bundles of joy. Here are four lessons we can learn from them about how we can bring joy to our own leadership 👉
Effortless Thursdays #11: A dog's guide to reclaiming the joy in your leadership
9. Create tiny moments of joy
We don't need grand gestures to bring joy into our working days. Think small. Here's how I turned a joyless Thursday into an effortless one 👉
Effortless Thursdays #52: Even my Thursdays can be bad
ps If you’re an entrepreneur, a lawyer or another high-flying professional - who’s looking to bring joy back into your work and home life - by building a healthy brain for a career that’s full of success in a way that feels effortless, get in touch and let’s have a conversation.
That’s it for this week!
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To your health and success!
Eric
The grass is always greener . . .