I remember there being an assumption drilled into many of us when we were at school, that it was really important to work hard, get good grades, and maybe go to University, because then we would be able to spend the rest of our lives working in a field that inspired us, challenged us and rewarded us.
But for how many people did that turn out to be a reality? When Gallup revealed it’s findings on the high level of disengagement in the workforce last year, with 16 % of Australians actively disengaged, it was followed up by a torrent of voices expressing just how much they loathed their work, how unhappy they were in their jobs and how they wished they could be doing something else.
Considering we spend around 90,000 hours of our lives at work, surely this is a wake up call to be asking WHY this is and what can be done about it.
I have long admired the work of Tony Schwartz and his Energy Project. An article recently published in the New York Times by Tony and Christine Porath examines the “Why You Hate Work.” It provides some thought provoking data and insight as to what does provide us with meaning in the workplace:
- attending to our needs so as to have sufficient energy to do our work,
- perceiving value in the work being done,
- having sufficient focus on the task at hand,
- enjoying a sense of purpose in what we do.
Simple eh?
Does your workplace provide you the ability to address you needs for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being?
If not, what could you be doing differently to help you achieve that?
