Six ways to fall back in love with your job

In an ideal world our work would excite, challenge and fulfil us — but what do you do if you’ve fallen out of love with your job?

It turns out you may not be alone, with the majority of Aussies reporting they are unhappy at work.

But before you make any rash decisions and consider jumping ship, perhaps take a closer look at how you could rekindle the spark for your current role. Making a change, even a small one, can help alleviate boredom and put you on a positive path again. Here are 6 tips to get you started:

Kick goals

Setting goals can help break the boredom and give you a new focus. What parts of your job do you like the best and how can you do more of that? What would you like to be doing in six months’ time? What new skills do you want to learn? Simply taking the time to think and set goals helps you to take charge of your work life, adopt a positive mindset and recharge your motivation. While actually making your goals happen could open the door to endless opportunities.

Speak up

If nobody knows, nobody can help. If you are in a rut, sit down with your boss or manager and let them know how you are feeling. Share your goals, discuss what you love about your job, the tasks you’d like to do more often and what you’d like to learn. An open conversation is a great way to kick-start change in your current role.

Think positive

When the Sunday slump is hitting hard and you are struggling to plod through the week, it’s hard to stay positive, but mindset matters. The power of positivity can make a huge difference to how you feel at work. If a task is challenging, try to change your thinking from “I can’t do it” to “I can’t do it…yet” and ask for the support you need. Give your mood a boost by surrounding yourself with positive and inspiring people, or spread the smiles through the office by doing something nice for a co-worker. As they say, one positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

Take a lunch break

A lunch break is about much more than eating. It’s an important break to help shake off any stresses and a great time to get up and get moving. If you’re an office worker, try to step away from your desk and get outside — take a walk, eat your lunch in the park to get some fresh air and sunshine, or even schedule a fitness class. Taking a lunch break away from your desk will also help you to stay focused and keep motivated for the afternoon. It may seem like a simple change, but there are plenty of us who are guilty of eating grab-and-go lunches at our desks.

Keep perspective

Work is one aspect of your life. What happens outside your workday is just as important in nurturing your sense of fulfilment and happiness. If work feels like it has become all-consuming, try to wrangle back a bit of balance. Consider taking up a new pastime, sport or hobby. Plan some mini-breaks with friends and family. Or volunteer to help support a charity that is close to your heart. The rewards and fun from your time off will help you carry a smile into your workday.

Eat well

When we’re stressed, it’s often all too easy to look for a quick, unhealthy sugar hit to keep powering through the work load, but these sugar-induced spikes in energy can be followed by a slump. Eating healthy whole foods and drinking plenty of water can help boost your energy and mood during a long workday. Healthy food = healthy attitude.