How to have the right perspective at work? A secret for joy.

Until not long ago I was riding an emotional roller coaster at work. I had amazing days but also days in which all I wanted was just to take my things and leave!

All of our actions are driven by emotions, and having so many ups and downs at work is far from being healthy, which means the answer for the question "Am I enjoy work?" may change on a daily basis. This means, we normally find it hard to have the right perspective about our satisfaction and joy at work.

In my last article I described that our joy at work starts first with having the right perspective on what matters for us most. By keeping the right perspective we won't get high on every success and won't get depressed on every failure. Therefore, I've decided to share with you simple things I do that help me keep the right and stable perspective at work.

Just start with ONE of these suggestions, but one only:

1) Last 30 seconds of the day

All you need is to invest 30 seconds at the end of your day thinking about one thing that made you joy that day and one that made you down. This must be done just before you start your car, or just after entering the subway, metro or bus on the way home. You have to do it every day. Plan to do it only 30 seconds. This very simple daily action for only 30 seconds will help you get the right perspective for the long run.

2) Decide what YOU like most - consciously

If someone asks you "what you like the most in your work?", you need to be able to answer fast and clear. I normally ask people at work by surprise if they are happy and what they like in their work, many times I get some mumbling and a very hesitated answer. That means people don't give enough attention to what makes them feel good.

Answer to that question should not be related to salary or any benefit, it must be related to the person's personal work or relations at work. This is a conscious conclusion you have to make. Afterwards, it will stay in your mind in every decision you make, on good days and bad days. It will give you the right perspective on your joy at work.

3) Ask others what THEY like most at work

Ask others, "what they like most at work?". Make it not about you but about them.

Such question might seem odd and in some cases can be perceived as a privacy violation. But, if you do it in the right timing, in the right conversations with the right people at work, you will get some surprising answers that will help you get insights about yourself. The perspective from others helps to reshape our perspective. By doing so, you will also help the the one you asked to get their own perspective at work (as in bullet #2 above).

Just choose one of the above and try it out.

I hope it will help you in two ways: First, any personal work related decision you take will be impacted by a better perspective and won't be reckless. Second, you will enjoy more your time at work, no matter what you do, because of the conscious perspective you now have. If my advises made you feel worst than before, it is a big sign for you to start looking for a different job.

Personally, this made my life at work to be much calmer. I enjoy more being at work. I have more good days, less get angry and I believe that my personal decisions are done much better these days.

Good luck and I really hope you will find more joy at work.

Ori F.