3 Key Questions for Loving Your Work

By Lani Aquino

Loving your work is often touted as the key to unlocking happiness. People run the gamut regarding their likes and dislikes, so there’s no exact path that creates happiness for everyone at home or in the workplace. There is a need to define what loving your work looks like, and then the crucial component of taking the steps to bring it to fruition has to occur.

Do people who love their work live in a perpetual state of warm fuzzies with sprinkles and rainbows? Maybe, but those people are likely few and far between. Loving one’s work is more likely to come to people who can pinpoint their passions, make connections, and maintain balance in their lives.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. What is my passion?

When it comes to one’s work, being passionate about the everyday components is key. What was the spark? Is it still there? Ensuring that you are headed in the right direction with your career path and enjoying your position's daily ins and outs will create a huge ripple effect. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be challenges and upsets, but it means that the drive, purpose, and passion for what you’re doing are still present and make the stumbling blocks worth navigating.

If your current role isn’t fulfilling your passion, it’s time to determine what needs to change. Changes could include shifting mindsets, reorganizing workspaces, reviewing priorities, etc.

2. Am I making connections?

It’s human nature to crave connection and interaction. When positive connections and relationships are formed, a work environment becomes a place where people choose to be. Instructional leaders are instrumental in building the foundation that allows all those present to experience greater fulfillment within their professional journeys. In leading by example and forming connections with teams and other stakeholders, a supportive and trusting energy is created.

If connections aren’t being made, they can be encouraged. This can be done by creating more opportunities for teams to interact, sharing personal anecdotes and encouraging the same from others, prioritizing and modeling good listening skills, etc.

3. Do I have a work-life balance?

When work-life balance isn’t present, everything tends to be off-kilter. Maintaining work-life balance isn’t a checkmark on a to-do list. It’s a continual pursuit. The scales will often have times when they need to tip a bit more one way or the other, but these tips shouldn’t become the norm. That’s when discontent starts to arise. Work-life balance can take on a variety of looks, depending on the person. The commonality that all will have is a clear sense of priorities, a set schedule, and regular reflection.

If the work-life balance is off kilter, some scale recalibration needs to happen. This could be done by adopting a new calendar/planner system, sending out regular communications, being transparent about time commitments, honoring the time of others, etc.

If there were an exact recipe for loving your work, everyone would be following it. There are steps that every individual can take to start or continue on the path of finding happiness and fulfillment in their professional journeys. By taking the time to make this pursuit a priority, a world of positive change awaits!

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Dynamix LLC is here to help busy professionals find restorative balance and success! #reclaimyourlife#leadershipdevelopment