(11) Increase your commute time
Allow more time for your commute so that you don’t have to feel rushed at work. When you’re not rushing, you have more control and self-management over your work and life.
(12) Take pride in how you physically look
Having the right choice of clothing and grooming can build your confidence at work. It can lead to a smoother workday.
If you show up to work looking dishevelled and tired, then you may just end up feeling dishevelled and tired all day long.
(13) Get enough sleep
While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. If you are having less sleep than the recommended 7 hours, then you will feel tired and sluggish.
Losing concentration at work because of lack of sleep can cause you to lose interest in the work you are doing.
(14) Get enough exercise or physical activity
Adults should get a total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity plus muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days per week. Regular exercise can reduce symptoms of fatigue.
When we are tired, we lose concentration. When we lose concentration, we lose interest and when we lose interest, we dislike our job.
Being active also gives the required energy to do your work well.
Exercise primes the brain for learning. For middle-aged and older people, exercise put up a defence against memory loss.
Previous research has found that structured exercise training can significantly improve brain function in stroke survivors; aerobic exercise increases brain volume, notably in the hippocampus; sustained physical activity leads to long-term cognitive gains; and exercise was associated with improved brain function in a group of adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.
(15) Prioritise your health and well-being
Prioritising your health and well-being will make you a better employee and person. Your overall health and well-being should be your main concern.
If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, mental health issues, or depression, do seek the appropriate professional help as soon as possible.
If you’re battling a chronic illness, don’t be afraid to call in on rough days. Do seek immediate attention where necessary.
(16) Reorganise your workspace
Give your workspace a make-over. Get rid of clutter. Hang inspirational quotes or some photos of places or people you love. Buy a new pen or planner that makes you smile. Use in a pair of headphones so you can listen to your favourite soundtrack.
By creating positive associations with your workspace, you’ll feel better about coming into work every day.
(17) Create the right work posture
If you are hunching over a computer for most of the day, then you need to readjust your desk, chair and computer to be at the optimum ergonomic position.
Lower back pain is the world’s most common work-related disability affecting workers. It can impact your ability to perform at your peak.
(18) Take pride in your workplace
It can be fun to work when your workplace is an extension of your personality and life, giving you a comfortable place to concentrate and perform at your best.
Perhaps show your workplace to your children and be proud of it.
(19) Find something you enjoy outside-of-work
You can easily change your after-work life to give you enjoyment, motivation, and purpose. Focus on your hobby, volunteer in a cause you truly believe in or find a romantic partner.
Find something to do after work to recharge for the next day.
(20) Prioritise your work projects
Putting off tasks that you don’t want to do in favour of easier or more enjoyable tasks can make your work more frustrating.
So, stop putting them off by prioritising your work projects.
(21) Change your attitude towards work
You may need to look inward and make an attitude change. Replace your half-empty attitude with a half-full one. It’s a different perspective that will make a positive difference in your work.
Instead of complaining and focusing on the negatives, look at the positives to develop a more optimistic perspective of your work.
A positive attitude towards work can go a long way in cultivating an enjoyable and lasting job.
(22) Challenge yourself to succeed
Use achievable but stretched goals to maximise your performance. This includes completing seemingly impossible tasks at work.
Goal setting may seem foreign to many people, but it is important for some people in succeeding well at work and in life.
(23) Give one hundred percent of your time and effort
Work to your optimal ability and come prepared to give your all each workday.
Diligently complete all tasks on time and limit your mistakes. When you do make a mistake, take full responsibility for your actions.
(24) Keep the big picture in mind
Remind yourself about the big picture. These tasks get you closer to the bigger outcome or purpose in life.
The big outcome could be the completion of a project for a deserving community, satisfying your customers, or just achieving your employer’s mission and vision. You are one of many employees working together to achieve an objective.
(25) Find purpose and meaning in your work
You can always make a positive contribution to the work you do. If you look for it, you will find meaning and purpose in your work.
For example, school bus drivers bear an enormous responsibility. They care for and keep children safe. They are an essential part for our children to receive the education they need and deserve.
(26) Be a team player
People who care about their jobs want to do whatever it takes to get the work done and be productive.
Being a team player and working diligently with colleagues to accomplish great things will energise and motivate you.
(27) Think again about what success means to you
Getting clear on what success means to you will help you focus and direct your actions daily.
Define what success means to you. It could be related to making more money, climbing the corporate ladder or helping the poor and marginalised.
Find opportunities to live life more on your terms rather than being in control by others.
(28) Give yourself the freedom to do the work your own way
Repeating the same task can be boring.
Give yourself permission to do things differently. Break the boring bits. Find ways of doing these bits creatively.
If you are waiting for permission to make your job enjoyable, you will be disappointed. You should create the opportunity to enjoy your work.
(29) Stop feeling behind
If you are feeling behind at work and not hitting your performance goals, then revisit your goals.
Don’t over-estimate what you can do but focus more on what you have accomplished. Be clear on what you can reasonably do.
Don’t self-sabotage your work.
(30) Find new ways for doing the work
There are many ways to do the same task if you look hard enough.
Finding new and exciting ways to do your work can spark new life into a seemingly boring job.
If you feel anxious at work, bring some structure and systems to your work.
If your work has become monotonous and boring, bring a variety of unpredictability.
(31) Take advantage of all company benefits
Employers do provide cash and non-cash benefits to their employees. These are perks that come along with your work. Do take advantage of these employee benefits as they can make you view your job more positively. For example, training, retirement or financial planning, or discounts on products.
(32) Reward yourself without asking anyone
Don’t wait for rewards from your employer or manager. You can wait for a very long time.
Make your own rules and reward yourself when you have achieved a key milestone in your job, reached your target, or just completed an important task.
If you dislike your job, or specific tasks that you must complete, find ways to reward yourself for getting these things done.
For example, “When I finish this assignment, I’ll go for a walk and get some fresh air,” or “If I can get this assignment done by 3 p.m., I can have a chocolate bar.”
These simple self-declared rewards can help improve your performance and increase your motivation. They could get you through a rough day or help you do a better job.
(33) Be a master of your job
Every job involves skills and experience. You need to get better at your job over time.
Find out what is required to perform your job well and be master of your job!
This will give you tremendous confidence knowing that you can perform the job at your peak because you have all the required skills, experience and knowledge.
Give yourself the challenge to improve yourself.
(34) Play on your strengths
Intentionally use your strengths at work and make it work for you.
Using them strategically will allow you to shine not just to others but to yourself.
(35) Acquire new skills to perform the job well
If you hate your work because you lack the skills required to perform the job well, then it is time to acquire new skills. Develop new skills that could be portable across different industries and job groups.
You can up-skill by attending online courses, reading a book, or enrolling in night classes.
(36) Invest in yourself first
If you have some money, do spend it on yourself. Some courses or training do cost money. You may need to spend that money to upgrade yourself. This will enable you to perform better at work or set you up for future success.
(37) Make friends at work
Having work friends can do more than just make work more fun. It can help you produce better work.
Having a close friend at work can make a real difference where you can share ideas, challenges, and solutions. This is no different from having a best friend outside of work.
(38) Have fun with your coworkers
If it doesn’t interfere with your work and productivity, playing games and having ‘clean’ jokes with your coworkers is another great way to keep up your morale during a stressful day.
Create an atmosphere of fun at work. A fun and happy workplace do go a long way in helping you enjoy your work.
If you are invited out by your co-workers always try and go out with them.
(39) Collaborate with the people you like
Take the time to cultivate relationships with people you like to work with. You may not have a best friend at work but having a trusted work buddy is important.
Find ways to make sure that you are not going through the whole day utterly alone.
(40) Acquire the right materials and equipment to do your work right
If you don’t have the right materials, tools, and equipment to do your work right, you are going to hate your work.
Things like having the right software application on your computer can make a difference.
Without the right tools to do the job well, you will spend more time and effort in getting the same outcomes. Work frustration sets in.
(41) Make new work-related connections and networks
Instead of emailing a colleague whom you have not met, go up to him or her and introduce yourself.
You may also want to connect with coworkers or other industry professionals through LinkedIn. It’s professional, appropriate and helps you learn something new about people and your industry.
Networking is a great way to know more people. These people could open up doors for you when you decide to find another job.
(42) Attend work-related meet-ups
Connecting with other professionals and having face-to-face conversations can give you ideas and industry information that could be relevant to your work.
You may also come across employers who are looking for people to join them.
(43) Talk to people with the same job title as you
Benchmark your job with people having the same job title as you. Reach out via LinkedIn or during meet-ups.
You may find that other people are having similar challenges in their jobs that are causing them to dislike their jobs too.
Share ideas and solutions knowing that other people are also in the same boat. The grass may not be greener on the other side!
(44) Reach out and help people
Reaching out to help your co-workers, new employees or interns can make you feel more vital or valued at work.
You can increase your job satisfaction by passing along your experience to others in the workplace.
Mentoring other employees can also make your current job more enjoyable.
(45) Come up with ideas to make the company better
If there is something that you feel could be improved or fixed at work, come up with the ideas or solutions yourself. Your great idea may be received well by your manager.
It doesn’t hurt to show initiative and a positive attitude to make real positive changes to a work environment that might not be working well for you.
Do be polite and respectful when presenting your opinions and ideas.
(46) Talk about something besides how much you hate your work
Complaining does nothing to improve your job. Your coworkers don’t want to hear you complain anyway. Gossiping about people should be avoided.
Instead, talk about something that will make you happy.
(47) Talk to your manager regularly
Your manager may not be the nicest person in the world, but most people who are in charge are humans too. They have feelings that you can turn it into your advantage.
It could be refreshing for you to sit down with our manager to hear his or her perspective on how things are going, their challenges and concerns. They too may dislike their jobs.
Putting yourself in their shoes can go a long way in balancing different perspective and expectations.
(48) Take a break from work
Sometimes quick weekend or little time away from your workplace is all you need to recharge your batteries and refocus.
You could also plan for a sabbatical or long service leave if it helps you to fully recharge.
We can easily be bogged down with work that we forget to take well-deserved breaks.
(49) Learn as much as possible
The knowledge and experience gained from working in a job belong to you. They will stay with you forever.
Therefore, learn as much as possible. Take every opportunity to learn and train yourself to do more than what is required of you. It will never go to waste.
(50) Get up to speed in your field
Even though you have your job, it doesn’t mean that you should stop improving yourself by continuously keeping up on industry trends and enhancing your skills.
Read the latest trade publications and set up news feeds.
Your new set of industry knowledge can lead you to a better and more enjoyable job.