5 ways to stay interested in your work

You probably remember how you felt when you accepted the job offer. Loved ones congratulating you, Happiness? Relief? Pride?, those first few months on the job learning names, navigating a new environment and being eager to prove yourself. 

You’ve settled in since then, these days you find you find yourself stuck in a routine, clock in – clock out, minor irritations seem larger, your job is monotonous, feels like a chore, you are left unfulfilled, unchallenged and wanting more.

You can have more, with some simple changes.

Emphasize your strengths:

What are your strengths in your work? Seek out opportunities you are good at, the work you like could be torture for someone else who wouldn’t mind a hand. It does not have to be a career-furthering task, it could be something as simple as  drawing up a proposal.

Learn something new about your work:

Read a new book in your field of work, attend a conference, meet-up, seminar or class. Learn and practice new skills that you can integrate into your work.  Not only will this keep you interested in your work, it keeps you relevant in your workforce and improves your abilities.

Mentor others or be a mentee:

Connect with rookies in your field and offer to mentor them. Not only will this give you a fresh point of view but also sharing advice based on your own successes and failures helps you reflect over the course of your career. You will be able to appreciate how far your skills, maturity and judgment have progressed.  You can also request a mentorship or shadow a superior for some guidance. This gives you a chance to see if you are on the path you need to be on for success.

Ask for what you want

You want to lead a project? Ask. A promotion? Ask. Some help? Ask.  If you don’t specifically ask for what you want, need or deserve, you probably won’t get it.  If you are declined, ask for more information. Find out what needs to happen for you to get a ‘yes’, then work on it and follow up.

Go to a job Interview

This does not mean quitting your current job, sometimes you just need a new perspective. Going to an interview gives you a taste on what’s out there, what the job climate is like, what it would feel like to work somewhere else and where you stand skill wise. Try it out, it may challenge to grow at your current or empower you to leave.

Implementing these into your work life will help challenge you and keep you interested  in your work. Always remember to keep a positive attitude, as what you project into the work is reflected back at you.