Are you sick and tired of working in jobs you find uninspiring? Do you find yourself dreading getting up for work every day because you feel understimulated, undervalued, or just plain old bored?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
This exact same feeling is echoed across the world, including in the UAE. We all have to work, but that doesn’t mean the first, second, or even third job that we do is a keeper.
So how do you find a job that you love? Does it even exist?
Let’s take a closer look at what it means to love your job, and how to find your dream employment position ASAP:
Why Are Many People Unhappy in Their Jobs?
There are many different reasons that you could feel unhappy in your job and understanding your reasons could help you identify your perfect career path. Here are some of the most common reasons that job unhappiness occurs:
You Don’t Know Yourself
Sometimes we go through education then into work without ever really taking a moment to consider what we really want. Peer pressure, indecisiveness, and parental pressure can cause us to go into courses and jobs we aren’t actually that into. When you do a bit of introspection you might realize that what motivates you is not aligned with the work you do. This can be a really helpful clue as to why you are unhappy in your current job.
You Have a Negative Perspective
It can be easy to be negative sometimes and consider that the job we are in is below our skills, is boring or it just isn’t providing any stimulation. The question is - have you tried as hard as you can in this job? Have you spoken to a manager about what you could learn on the job? Are there educational programs in the business you could do? Try going into work with a fresh attitude to see how you feel, it won’t do any harm and at best, it could actually give you better job satisfaction.
You Don’t Like Your Boss or Colleagues
Whilst you will come across people you don’t like in your career, the fact is that if you utterly dread work because of the people you work with, it’s time to move on. No one should have to spend every day with people they dislike, especially if they have some sort of authority over you.
You Don’t Find the Job Stimulating
It may well be that the job doesn’t give you any sort of excitement or thrill. Whilst not every job will provide excitement every day, if you feel brain numbingly bored, you may well have outgrown this particular position.
The Commute Is Rubbish
Commuting is really difficult, and it is something that we lose a massive 408 hours of our life doing. It’s worse in many cities too because of rush hour, bad road systems and the majority of employment is based in the same area. Some commute is OK if you don’t mind your job, and a long commute is OK if you love your job. A long commute for a job you’re not totally in love with though? Unthinkable.
A Lack of Purpose
Science tells us that it is built into our DNA to need a purpose in the work that we do. Whether serving delicious fries or curing cancer means you personally feel you have a purpose is up to you. However, if you don’t feel that sense of purpose at all in your job, you’re likely to feel pretty unhappy at work.
These are just a few reasons that people dislike their job. The fact is, though, if you do, you are not alone and it’s important to remember that no job has to be forever. There is always a way to change and move forward into something you do love.
So, How Do You Find a Job You Love?
If you have tried your hardest in the job you are doing but you feel bored, under-stimulated or you simply have a deep yearning for something more, it’s time to find a job that you do love. There are multiple ways to do this, and here are our top tips:
Think About What You Were Naturally Drawn to As A Kid
This isn’t necessarily what you were good at, but what you loved doing. Did you love science? Were you passionate about poetry? Did you always love playing doctor? These were your natural instincts, and the chances are, those desires and natural skills are still in there.
Reflect On Your Hobbies
What do you do in your spare time that you are passionate about? Not every hobby should be a chore, but sometimes hobbies can indicate what we love to do and what we are good at. Do you volunteer at an animal shelter in your spare time? Are you a painter? Do you do lots of gym workouts? These interests and hobbies can be a great way to see what you would happily do and get paid to do it.
What If You Didn’t Have to Pay The Bills?
Think about what you would do if you had no bills to pay and you could just spend your life doing whatever you wanted. Past the initial parties and splurges, what shape would your life take? Would you travel a lot? Do charity work? Spend more time with your family? Whilst money does matter when it comes to work, providing security and nice things, it can’t be the main factor in choosing a career, because money doesn’t bring happiness in the end.
What Is Your Dream Job?
It sounds blunt but, some people know exactly what their dream job, they just don’t know how to get there. If this is you, be honest with yourself about it.
Maybe other more well-paid opportunities came along that you took or, life got in the way.
Realistically, though, you know what you want to do in life, you just think it is an impossible dream, but nothing is impossible. It may mean getting more education, training or even compromising and getting a similar job that offers similar stimulation and reward for you, but there is always a way to get where you want to go.
Taking The Next Step…
Once you have done a little soul searching it will become clearer what it is that you really do want to do. From there you can then take the necessary steps which might include:
Mostly, the next step on your part in order to do any of the above is to simply allow yourself to dare to dream. You can fulfill your potential if you simply consider the very idea that there is more for you when it comes to your career.
It’s time for you to be brave and take that next step in career development - you deserve it.
