Fall back in love with your job

Here are some practical steps that can help make even a dead job appear far more stimulating than what it appears:

Break the monotony: Every job gets boring after sometime. The best way to fresh-n-up is to do the old thing in a new way just like Shivani Pasricha, a Delhi-based-telemarketing executive did. “I was dead bored of making calls and explaining the same kind of concept hundreds times in a day. I started losing interest in my job, but couldn’t make a move it as my workplace was quite close to my home. It was then that I decided to bring in a change. I started giving myself daily targets instead of the weekly targets that we usually got. This brought a new zeal into my work pattern. Meeting daily deadlines not only triggered my confidence, but also brought back the lost zeal.” “If you have too much to do - prioritise. And get organised. Inculcate better time management and pinpoint your peak energy time,” adds Rita. Setting new targets, changing your work pattern, playing with time-lines are some ways that help to break the monotony that seeps into a job over a period of time.

Don’t complain, do something: "Try and identify what you don’t like. This would help you to understand the exact reason for your dislike and what can you do to overcome it,” suggests Rita. It is better to get down and improve things that are keeping you unhappy at your work place, rather than incessantly cribbing, criticising and complaining about all that is going wrong. If your boss is a talk to him about how you're feeling. Rather than criticising him, focus on how your needs are not being met. On the other hand, if a colleague is the bone of contention, then an easy way out is to minimise contact. “If you can, move your desk, change your hours, get on a new team -- do whatever it takes to insulate yourself as much as possible. Speak up politely, but directly,” suggests Rita.

Make a difference : Often people develop an aversion when job recognition stops coming their way and they become just another employee. Remember that recognition is always earned. So, get on the job by making a difference at your workplace. Be it by helping a colleague in a particular project or doing something that your co-workers fhad ailed to achieve – leaving an impact should be your policy. “Share what you know and be a mentor to get mentored. When you share willingly, people are also more willing to help you,” adds Rita. Also, awareness of your positive contribution in your office will increase your popularity quotient thereby adding zing to your job.

Appreciate the positives: Not everything can go wrong in a job. Since, you have not run away till now clearly shows that there are some positives that are keeping you glued to it. So, instead of getting bogged down by the negatives, start appreciating the positives. “In the past few months, I have experienced everything going wrong at my office. While my immediate boss enjoyed my credit, my subordinates were not cooperative and the work pressure was increasing every day. This ultimately affected my efficiency. But I couldn’t move out, thanks to recession, so I had no option but to stick to my current job. It was then I met a counsellor who highlighted the positives in my job that I never noticed. From perks to a decent package, annual appraisals to a much-loved comfort zone, I had many small things to appreciate in my office. And once I realised these, all I did was change my perspective and this brought the charm back in my job.” To conclude Rita adds, “A job should do more than feed your family - it should feed your creativity and add a sense of self as well.”