19 Ways to Build a Happy Career in 2019

“Anyone who says they’re happy with their job is clearly lying” – An acquaintance said this to me, very confidently, a few days ago. It got me thinking about how serious she was and how widespread this feeling really is.

Through my discussions with other professionals over the last few years, a few things came out pretty clearly. Firstly, there is a huge sense of FOMO in the professional world – there’s always someone getting paid more or having more flexible work hours or doing more interesting work than you are. This FOMO leads to stress, annoyance and the urge to just quit and try again somewhere else. Luckily though, the second thing that came out was that for most people, if you start asking them about the work they do, why they chose the career path they’re on now, or to talk about some of the exciting things they’ve accomplished, that spark in their eye is quick to return.

In order to make sure that spark stays through 2019 and beyond, I thought I’d share 19 quick and simple thoughts on building a #happycareer.

1.      Don’t live on borrowed dreams. Just because it works for your friend, your cousin or your neighbour’s chacha’s daughter, doesn’t mean it works for you. Figure out what you want to do and work towards that.

2.      Know your motivators. The best way to ensure you aren’t unduly influenced by others around you is to know exactly what you’re looking for in your career. This comes in handy when you’re trying to make various career decisions as well.

3.      Spot opportunities for growth. Things will not be handed to you on a silver platter. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there and find the right challenges to take on.

4.      Focus on self-development. It’s great to have aspirations and goals but make sure you also work on developing the necessary skills needed to reach your goals. Identify the skills you need, where you stand on each and chart out an action plan to build on these.

5.      Build your self-awareness. Spend some time reflecting to identify your strengths, your areas of improvement, your preferred leadership style, your go-to communication style, your usual decision-making style, among many others, to get to know yourself better. The more you know yourself, the more well thought out, empathetic and effective your interaction with others will be

6.      Don’t make hasty decisions. This one is a bit counter-intuitive, since it’s a commonly accepted piece of advice to grab opportunities as and when they come. While jumping at opportunities will help you grow, make sure you only leap towards the ones you want. It is perfectly okay to say no if it does not fit into your larger plan, no matter how big the new opportunity seems.

7.      Your values are key. It is crucial to know what you stand for. If your work conflicts with your values, you will always be dissatisfied. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a job if you feel uncomfortable about doing it.

8.      Celebrate the little wins. Document every moment of success, no matter how small. These are the building blocks of your career and are sure to get you re-energised on your down days. 

9.      Analyse the lows. Don’t dwell on the low moments, but before you brush them off, make sure to quickly analyse what went wrong so that you can ensure it doesn’t happen again. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you don’t make the same mistakes again and again.

10.  Ask for feedback. It’s important to know how you’re doing and where you stand, from time to time. Ask the right people for feedback – people who have enough data points to give you honest inputs. Steer clear of people who will feed your ego without reason and of people who will criticise you just to put you down. Feedback is only useful when you trust the source.

11.  Look for more than just vertical growth. Do not underestimate the importance of having the right culture fit, the right working conditions or the right peer group when making career decisions. Do not jump from one company to the other just for a higher position or a better salary. Take a holistic look at what you want and what is being offered before deciding.

12.  Your career is more than your job. Some people spend their entire working lives with one company. Others move every few years. There is no right way to live out your career. Neither implies that you are less successful. Be aware of what you want and what you are getting at every stage and let that drive your movement.

13.  Your career is more than your boss. A bad boss can quickly lead to you becoming disengaged. As hard as it is to follow, don’t let them influence your career. Go into problem-solving mode. See what you can do to keep yourself engaged – find new projects, explore different departments or look for other opportunities. Do not let a bad boss kill that spark.

14.  Your career is more than your peers. We’ve seen enough and more people change jobs because their work friend moved. As has been said in a few different ways in the points above, you do you. Figure out what you want to do and do that. If you aren’t sure of what that is, stop and reflect before moving ahead. The sooner you get clarity, the more satisfying your career will be.

15.  Live in the present. Don’t wait until you reach your destination to be happy. There is enough joy and satisfaction in the journey. There are countless people who regret saying “I’ll be happy when…” Don’t let that be you.

16.  Find your IKIGAI. IKIGAI is a Japanese word that essentially refers to the sweet spot between what you’re good at, what you love doing, what the world needs and what you’d get paid to do. If you find this sweet spot, you’ll find that your career is a happy and fulfilling one.

17.  Go beyond the job description. Do more than what is asked of you. It’ll help you end everyday with a sense of joy and satisfaction. This pro-tip is super useful way to become a top-performer wherever you are. Everyone loves a colleague that goes beyond.

18.  Keep a learning journal. I had a manager once that maintained an Excel sheet of one thing he learnt everyday at work. Some days he would learn things naturally, on the job. On other days, he would need to put in extra effort to pick up a new skill or even learn a new Excel shortcut. While each small learning doesn’t feel like much, imagine looking at it a few months or years down the line. That’s sure to give you the kick you need to keep going.

19.  Take charge of your career. Finally, it’s important to recognise that your career is in your hands. No one is going to make sure you get what you want. It’s up to you to introspect, see what it is you want to work towards and do everything you can to make yourself a happy career.

Having a happy career is a lot like any happy relationship. It takes a lot of time, care and effort, but at the end of the day, when it’s worth it, it’s worth it.

Here’s wishing 2019 brings you happy, joyous and successful career journeys!

PS – In case you’re looking to build or sustain a happy career, feel free to get in touch with us. We’ve got just the thing to help you out. Follow us at https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/happy-careers/ for more updates.