Hi everyone! Hope your Wednesday-that-feels-like-a-Tuesday morning is going well! I’m just in love with the fact that the week is almost over and the weekend is near (again)!
Last night’s dinner was courtesy of our friend Emma, who made a fabulous pot roast with onions, carrots, and potatoes, with rolls on the side:
And a big, simple green salad! SO SO good, and it reminded me of our Sunday meals we used to have as a family growing up 🙂
Our new friend Tracey brought these evil goodies…they’re peanut butter bars, and I had 2. OK, fine, 3. But that third one was teeny 🙂
We had a great time discussing conflict resolution, and just talking about life in general! I love LOVE our friends! Breakfast this morning was Jenna’s Oatmeal Pancakes turned into a sandwich with peanut butter and 1/2 of a mashed banana:
I think I might have found my newest breakfast obsession, and I can’t wait to play with different versions of this bad boy! It was great in texture and I loved it in sandwich form!
Joy in Work
If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that I’m not completely in love with my day job and have constantly been thinking about what I WANT to do instead. However, I definitely don’t talk enough about how I am able to find joy in my job and, more accurately, in my workplace. You see, I don’t love the job that I have, but I really do enjoy working for the company I work for. You won’t find any specifics about that here (I have to keep some semblance of privacy you know ;)) but I do think that there are quite a few of us who share the same problem with looking for a job to love. Please keep in mind that all of these suggestions and bullet points are based off of my personal experience.
- Find a couple of things you really DO enjoy about your job. Whether it’s the company, what the brand stands for, the heritage of it all, or the really nice breakroom, there’s always ONE small thing that we can say we like about the job, the company, or the facility you work in. Finding the small things and celebrating those can help you overcome issues you might have with your job. I’m in customer service, and whereas it can be really brutal at times, I love when there is just that one person who’s thankful for my help. I also like that we have a large kitchen, I have a window office, and my dogs get to come to work with me and keep my feet warm 🙂
- Invest in the people you work with. This goes back to my first Joyful Kitchen post about relationships. I’ve worked for several large companies, and I can attest to the fact that just being nice to people can be one of the most business-savvy things you can do. Hate going to work because people are constantly treating one another like crap, talking behind one another’s back, and being snotty in email chains? Well, it’s no wonder! No one wants to work in an environment that feels like high school. Being nice to people, investing in their lives, and resolving conflict efficiently and professionally can be a huge factor in being able to tolerate your job. Spend time TALKING to your co-workers: find out what they like, what they dislike, how they came to work for the company, etc. Cultivating relationships won’t always be easy, but I can guarantee it’ll be worth it!
- SMILE. We all know that smiling is fun, lightens the mood, causes a chain reaction of other people smiling, and is an automatic mood-booster…so why don’t we do it all the time? Smile at others, smile when you’re on the phone, smile at co-workers, clients, patients, etc. Even if it doesn’t make you fall in love with your job, at least you will FEEL better!
- Be THANKFUL for the things you have. I hate that phrase “in this economy…” blah blah blah, but in this case it can give us all a swift kick in the pants. There are quite a few people who don’t have a job, and as such don’t have a lot of things that are necessary for living. If you have a job, at the very least be thankful that you’re earning a paycheck, can afford housing, food, and clothes, and are developing your resume. There are a lot of people who would love the luxury of having a job, and I have to constantly remind myself to stop being a brat and take the time to give thanks for the things I am blessed with, job included.
I know those points might not sound like a lot, but I can guarantee that they do help. As I’ve said before, I am constantly researching and thinking about other things I’d like to do, but in the meantime I’m so glad that I have the relationships with the people I work with and work for, and I’m so thankful to have a steady income. I would say, if I had to pick one thing I love about my job, it’s the people I work with on a daily basis. They’re not only my co-workers, but they are my friends, and taking the time to get to know them all has made every second of my job completely worth it!
How do you find joy in your work?
This is exactly what I needed to read right now. My job has become pretty stale as I near my four year mark and I’m constantly having more bad days than good and my heart just isn’t into it anymore. You do make some great points about focusing on the positive and I must say that I’m going to start that right now! Also, I have been repeating this Bible verse over and over (its my fav):
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” – Jer 29:11
God will eventually plan for us to find our calling 🙂
Amen. We all need to read and reread this post from time to time. Staying positive is needed but not always easy. I mean, we spend most of our day, everyday at our jobs- it’s a little ridiculous if you think about it- so we should all have jobs we love- although, that might be pushing it a bit. 😉
I’m hoping to some day create my dream job but until then…
Great post.
I really like this post. I’m looking for a job and trying to be content doing hourly, menial tasks but have not been enjoying it. If I put a little happiness into work, I think it might turn things around a lot!
Katherine
Great post – I definately need to work on finding more happiness at work. I don’t hate my job, but I’ve been feeling less than happy lately.
Love this Joyful Kitchen!! I’m not the hugest fan of my day job, but it definitely helps to find the good in it. The people help so much, and developing relationships with them makes the office a much happier place to be!
well right now my work is teaching spin, and coaching so I Love what I’m doing
ooo, love the oatmeal pancake sammie! and i’m workin’ on the joy at work thing 😉 i’ll get there – right now i just enjoy the days i get to go outside and escape my computer!
Thanks for the positive words of wisdom regarding the workplace! I also needed that today!
I am not really happy in my day job, at all but I do try my best to just stay positive and keep my eye on the prize. I am working towards my goals and eventually, that will afford me the life that I want.
I think about why I went into my field (education) to begin with, and the rewards it brings. Even though sometimes it’s overwhelming, I learn a lot every day, and laugh every day too.
I am on the job hunt right now, too. I am taking a job just to have income but I hope it’s positive, too. Thank you for the reminder that in any situation you can make it better and positive! =)
Much love – xoxoxo
Great post, Heather! I actually just started a new day job this week, so of course I’m loving it so far (it always seems awesome when you first start, right??) But I loved reading these tips; they’ll be great to keep in mind as I get more and more into my routine at work.
Great advice Heather…I really liked the Smile one. It is amazing how smiling can really change your mood around! 🙂
I definitely need to try #2 & #3 more often. And I’m definitely thankful for the paycheck I get every two weeks 🙂
I am currently looking for a new job but even though I am looking for something new, I try to thin k about how welcoming my team was when I came here.
I just stumbled on your blog and I love that you are so positive. It is such a great reminder for me as I usually get bogged down in the negative.
That pancake sandwich is an excellent idea. I love my j0b, too. I’m a student though (but I have five more years of PhD work ahead), but I consider it a job. Glad to see you are keeping it positive. Cool blog!
those peanutbutter bars look delish!
love your insight! it is something to think about!
I love my job, our company and my colleagues. I’ve been in love with my job since I first applied for it 🙂 I’ve truly been lucky and am thankful EVERY DAY about my job. I realise that not everyone loves their work like I do and I wish everyone would find a job they love 🙂 I also already know this is not a job which I’ll be doing for the rest of my life but now and in the few coming years I’ll be very happy where I am now.
Thank you thank you. I needed this today 🙂
Love your Blog. You seem very authentic in your writing and I enjoy reading that. I am new to the bloggin world but it is an amazing outlet/community that is expressing individuals passions. 🙂
thanks
Man, I needed to read this post today. I LOVE the company I work for, but my job? Not so much. I really only took the position in hopes that I could advance to something else I would really enjoy, which is possible if I can just cool my jets and be PATIENT!
Deffffff needed those tips. Right now I’m between school and work and need to make cash money to pay for school and, you know, life, so I’m resigned to working retail/hourly wage jobs but I guess it doesn’t have to be awful!!
I find joy in my work when I reach a new skill level. Getting paid is pretty sweet, too. 😀
Your dinner from last night looks yummy.
Jenn
While the 12hr shifts I work (er nurse) can be exhausting, I love that my job allows me to have more days off than a typical 8-5. I love (most) of the doctors and nurses I work with. : ) Alot of times the clientele we deal with can be very frustrating but I do like seeing the results of what I do and what it does for the people we care for and their families.
Don’t always love the job but I think it helps to think of the positive aspects and not focus on the negatives-thanks for the reminder!
I know what you mean– it can be hard when you’re in a job you don’t love, but focusing on the positive can make such a difference in your daily experiences!
What I love most about my job as a college instructor and online teacher is the flexibility– I teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and have the summers off from May to the end of August!! Pretty sweet! 🙂
Mmm… Caramelize the mashed banana for a minute in a pan, SO good. I made the same sandwich on French toast a few weeks ago and was obsessed!
I think you know I truly LOVE my full-time job 😉
Plus… she’s super cute to look at too 🙂
Oooooy…you know I find no joy in what I do, but you are right that I need to start. I usually just count the blessings I have OUT of the office…