How to Create Job Satisfaction For Yourself by Making Your Work More Engaging
They say you are responsible for making your own happiness. Although this doesn’t apply when you are in a truly lousy, toxic situation, there are a lot of situations that only seem lousy until you turn them around. For example, you may experience low job satisfaction even if your job is not a fundamentally “bad” one. However, you make it more satisfying by doing a few things – such as making your work more engaging for yourself.
It’s not just up to your employer to make your job satisfying – you need to put some effort in, too.
There are many ways to make the most of your job and create a more enriching career that fulfills you. Increasing your work engagement is just one, but it’s an important one. We’ll go through a few of the best tips to do this.
One of the main factors of a satisfying job is being engaged in your work
According to various sources, one of the main characteristics of a satisfying job is that it involves work that is engaging. It makes sense; when we are engaged in an activity, we become fully concentrated on it, immersed in it, and energised by it; we may not even feel time passing.
This is also referred to as being in a state of flow, a mental state that Psychology Today says creates “feelings of success, pride, and accomplishment … which encourage more learning and development”.
Engaging activities are usually ones where we get to use our full attention, skills, and focus in order to perform them – and usually we will perform them well.
However, what if your job consists of repetitive, dull work tasks and is not naturally engaging? Here are some tricks to become more engaged in your work.
6 ways to increase your work engagement
1. Write a to-do list of small, clear tasks
Break your work up into manageable small tasks with clear start and end goals and write them down in a to-do list, listing them in order of the most to least urgent. Then tick off each one you complete.
This will motivate you to complete more tasks to get that small win of ticking them off your list and feeling productive.
2. Optimise your concentration by splitting your day between focus times and breaks
Create focus time throughout the day by setting timers for work and for breaks. For example, set a timer for 25 minutes in which you fully concentrate on your work, and then have a 5-minute break before going into another 25 minutes of focused work.
Don’t make your focus time too long – knowing you only have to focus for a short time before you can have a break will make it easier. Regular breaks will refresh you so you can give your full focus when you get back to work.
3. Write down the things you accomplished in the week
At the end of each workweek, write down everything you achieved in the week and all the tasks you got done. Being able to see everything you managed to accomplish will give you pride in your job and a drive to keep getting work done.
4. Regularly check in with your manager
Ask your boss or supervisor for feedback on your work and frequently check in with them about what you are working on and your performance. This will create a good relationship with them and an open line of communication, which will keep you motivated to keep doing your work well.
5. Build connections with fun, positive colleagues
Forging connections and speaking to colleagues with an optimistic view of life and a fun side will help bring positivity into your workday and make you like your workplace more. What’s more, having some fun is de-stressing. These things will make you feel all the more ready to tackle work tasks. Who you surround yourself with is important – avoid colleagues who bring you down.
