According to State of the American Workplace, 70% of today’s workers are either not engaged or “actively disengaged” in their work. This shows evidence that for them, their work lacks meaning.
If you aren’t feeling satisfied at work and find yourself unmotivated most days, there’s a good chance that you are part of this 70% of workers. So how do you make your work meaningful and become engaged? There’s always the option of giving up your 9-5 job and attempting to pursue your pipe dream, though for the majority of people this option is not in touch with reality.
Instead, you’ll need to find ways to make the job you already have meaningful to you.
First, look to the past chapter of your story. Consider the fact that you chose this job for a reason. Though you may not be feeling satisfied with it now, there was something that made you gravitate towards it in the beginning. Explore the “why” behind your job choice, along with what it is that has kept you there since being hired, all the way up to the present chapter of your story. What is it that makes you come to work every day? Brainstorm a few reasons, then write them down. Remember that every job has its challenges, and that it is inevitable to dislike at least some aspects of one. However, if you stay focused on the positive areas of your job that brought you there in the first place, you’ll likely find the meaning within it.
Next, plan for the future chapter of your story. Many people are unsatisfied with their job because they don’t feel challenged enough and feel trapped in a routine. How can you change things up and give yourself a good challenge to take on? Again, do some brainstorming and perhaps discuss things with your boss. Remember to continue challenging yourself in the future, and to never feel “too comfortable”. The satisfaction of achieving something difficult is a great way to reignite the passion and meaning behind what you do.
