Blog Post: Time to Fall in Love with Your Job

September is here.  Around this time of year, I become nostalgic for playing in piles of leaves, trick-or-treating and for the feeling of starting a fresh school year.  With the change in season it is easy to get a little antsy – maybe even restless at things you usually love.  Careers, like relationships, need a little work to keep the spark alive, especially when you begin to crave a change.  Take advantage of the charge in the air - seize this opportunity to fall in love with your career! 

Here are some ideas to reignite the passion in your work:

1.  Find a new way to expand something you love about your job.  Is there an activity, process or part of your day that you routinely look forward to – where time just zooms by?  Chances are, your love for the task makes you a pro at it.  Go ahead and see if you can take on more or maybe channel all of that passion in raising your performance in this area to the next level.  You might not be able remove everything you don’t favor from your work day – so adding more of what you love can help balance the scales.  

2.  Look through your day – is there a part of it that needs a new approach?  Is there a project or task you haven’t been able to complete?  A person you haven’t been able to connect with.  Start over.  Doing things a new way can bring new results and the satisfaction of solving nagging issues can make anyone’s day.

3.  Give.  Recognize a coworker, vendor or client for something outstanding they have done – that may otherwise go unnoticed.  Recognition can be as simple as a hand written card, phone call or a mention in a meeting.  It can be personal or anonymous.  When the occasion is appropriate – it can be as elaborate as a party or an award.  If you really want to love your job, imagine the power of giving what you want - to someone else.   I once heard it explained by this quote:  “The fragrance of a rose remains on the hand who gives it".