Ever just wished your workweek would end?
Spent your lunch hour daydreaming of retirement?
Shouting TGIF to colleagues as you walk in the door?
Before you continue voicing your complaints about the long hours, have a look at some statistics and granted they are based on retirees and you might be no-where near this era but I found It very Interesting and recently looked at what my parents had done since they retired from work and I noticed a big swing onto a medical treadmill.
In a survey of retirees:
- 34% said they missed the social connections of their work environment the most.
- 19% said they missed the sense of purpose work goals provided to them.
- 12% said they missed the mental stimulation their job gave them.
This research aligns with many studies out there showing that retirees are known to return to work, even just part-time, just so that they can enjoy the happiness and purpose their work provided them for all those years.
At first, that might sound like a crazy notion. Especially when you find yourself spinning in a whirlwind of due dates and deadlines. But, as it turns out, work is a big part of most people’s happiness and sense of achievement.
What does that mean for you? To put it simply: Enjoy your career.
Far too many of us spend our days at work complaining and counting down the hours until we can commute back home when we should be making the most of the time we spend working.
If you’re in the depressing mindset that makes you feel as though you’re just working for a paycheck, that’s something that needs to change sooner rather than later.
Quick story
Recently a work friend of mine went through a difficult time with the loss of a job, and at the time it seemed like the most important part of his world and he struggled to come to terms with the rejection. We spoke many times and often he would mention how he would like to work overseas in the US etc. as he had friends abroad. I really wanted him to pursue this as his personality and vibrance would we appreciated in any country. Well I’m happy to say he landed an exciting career and I found even myself being a little jealous as the thought of working outside my own country can seem exhilarating and had often crossed my mind in my early work days. The path he has chosen will lead him to more opportunities that he would not have here in his home town and I know one day he will return and bring the knowledge and possibly start his own venture. I know I will be pushing him to do this.
What’s the Moral?
Make an effort to stay busy at work. Don’t sit around twiddling your thumbs. You might be networking, learning, or just interacting with those around you. All those things have a positive impact on your mood and skills. We all work long hours, but when we find ways to enjoy those hours and make the most of each one, you’ll find your attitude completely turning around.
Life is what you make of it. Having a new perspective that allows you to see the real value that work-life can offer you is a powerful change that can literally impact every aspect of your life–from your happiness and sense of purpose to your annual earnings and potential of career advancement.
Your work-life shouldn’t be seen as a stagnant, never-ending, redundant process where you clock-in and clock-out five days a week, counting your days until retirement. You should see your work life as a beautiful opportunity to make friends, connections, and learn new skills that can improve your state of being.
We all need a vacation every once in a while, but as the world’s retirees prove, humans need the purpose and interaction that work-life provides.
Find ways to maximize the time you spend at work so that each hour is contributing to your wellbeing and happiness in multiple ways. If you are tired and feel over-worked then take some time off paid or unpaid. It’s not about money, it’s about making your career work for you and for as long as possible it seems, fortunately with advances in tech apps we can use these wonderful experiences to make our working life easier.
Reflection
Once you master this attitude and perspective, you will see a fundamental shift in the way you look at work and life.
Take a breath and reset your thinking about work and what benefits it brings, mentally and financially.
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