Ask me to list my favorite romantic movies of all times, and Love Jones is pretty sure to feature right next to the top. If you’ve seen the 1997 movie featuring my imaginary boyfriend Larenz Tate (he doesn’t know yet) and the ever-gorgeous and talented Nia Long as two artsy lovebirds on the rebound from Chicago, then you know all about getting the “love jones”, at least when it comes to your relationships…If you haven’t seen, Netflix people, Netflix…
But how about getting the “love jones” in your career? You know, where you spend the majority of your time doing what you do? Remember when you started your first job, all fresh from college/school of hard-knocks/Mama’s basement, and you were all excited on Orientation Day? When you felt your first “love jones” for your career?
According to a recent #LoveWhatYouDo survey by Adecco USA, 71% of women in the workforce love their jobs. And 29% of us don’t exactly got a love thang going on with work…Let’s admit it, there are times in your career when you’d rather skip dessert for a month than pull in to work. And other times when you’re ready to bring in homemade cookies to the team every other day…
Yet, if we’re going to spend most of our lives at work and fulfill our best potential, we deserve to love what we do. Besides, there’s something about having that “love jones” for your career that puts a pep in your step, a smile on your face, and some inspiration in your soul (in addition to seriously slowing the aging process)…
So for all you who may need to get that career love thang going, here are a few loving tips to fan those work flames all over again:
Keep It Fresh!
In relationships as in your career, boredom is a silent killer! Doing the same tasks over and over again can have you sink in a deep rut with no end. Instead, challenge yourself to keep it fresh! It could be as simple as learning something new every day, whether it’s meeting someone new, or researching new information, or even taking a course or reading a book.
You can also try switching things up a bit by collaborating with other teams, asking for a rotation, changing work locations every so often, or offering innovative solutions to old problems. As long as you make an effort to keep it fresh…
It’s About Relationships!
It’s one thing to keep your head down, getting your work done as effectively as possible. But it’s another to avoid or limit your interaction with other humans in the workplace, and may end up hurting your career and happiness altogether…
Strive to connect with others and develop healthy, collaborative relationships. This will not only make you more connected to the company as a whole, but will also immensely help out on those days you need a hand (or two) to help you out with your workload. Besides, what’s the point of coffee breaks without all the chatting (and gossip)…
Stand Empowered!
In relationships or at work, not feeling valued or important can negatively impact our love for what we do. If we don’t feel like we belong, or are not sure what role we play in the big picture, it can be easy to call it quits in search of more welcoming, meaningful professional pastures…
Instead, try and understand how you fit in, and how your particular responsibilities support the company’s wider objectives. If necessary, have a conversation with your manager or colleagues about it. You may very well get out of this with a pep in your step, and a better appreciation of how much what you do makes a difference…
Have a Life Outside of Work!
Work is important, but it’s certainly not everything. It can be tempting to focus so much on our careers that we forget that a large part of appreciating what we do, lies in appreciating what we do …outside of it. You know what they say, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”…Well, you ungluing yourself from your computer screen may just be what you need to rekindle that love thang with your career…
So enjoy your time away from the office, take a mental day every now and then, and stop checking your work email every other second like you ain’t got no social life…Call a girlfriend, order some Chinese food and watch a re-run of Love Jones, for love’s sake…
Ok, so now, got a love jones with your career going?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
