February: the month of love. We’re not here to play Cupid with your love life, but we do have some advice for your other love—your work!
If stress, long hours, COVID anxiety, and the daily grind are making work feel a lot like—well, work—lately, we believe it doesn’t have to be that way! Work can (and should) be full of fun, excitement, purpose, and creativity. It’s time to get back to that first love: why you started doing this in the first place.
So, if you’re feeling a bit burnt out, here are some dos and don’ts to rekindle that spark and fall back in love with your work.
DO: Start by admitting you’re in a rut.
You know that expression—“it all starts with admitting there’s a problem.” You need to first admit that you’re in a bit of a rut. You’re not loving things right now, and that’s okay.
Just like you don’t want to ignore relationship red flags, you don’t want to ignore the work red flags either! Some to look out for are:
- Lack of focus and motivation
- Exhaustion and feeling burnt out
- Apathy about planning for the future
Look for the signs, acknowledge them, and then move forward!
DON’T: Run away on vacation.
Or at least not yet. Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what you need. And that could be anything from some beach time in Mexico, a weekend getaway, or switching up your home office for a coworking space.
The point is to not use a change of scenery as a way to run away from problems. Instead, take a look at what’s going on and carefully consider your best move. Maybe it’s a vacation! But maybe it’s just making some small tweaks to your routine.
DO: Talk to others in your field.
There’s a reason you started out in this field. Maybe it was the love of creating something new (a business, product, etc.). Or maybe you love your niche area of knowledge. If you’re having a hard time remembering what you originally loved so much, talk to colleagues or other people in your industry. This can help:
- Motivate you with other people’s success stories.
- Feel energized by their enthusiasm.
- Refocus back on your goals and the larger purpose of what you’re doing.
And if you don’t have personal connections, reading books or inspirational quotes from legendary people can also help rekindle that spark!
DON’T: Think everything else is better.
The grass is always greener… except it’s not. Every job, every position, every project has some good and some bad. It’s so easy to look at something else and think it’s better than what you’re currently experiencing.
But comparing your current situation to someone else’s is like scrolling through an ex’s Instagram—you see their highlights and forget the reasons you broke up with them. Try not to compare and romanticize other people’s lives!
DO: Learn something new.
If you’re feeling a bit “blah” about your work life, change it up by learning something new! There’s always something to learn, especially for solopreneurs and small business owners who wear many hats.
Try out one of these ideas:
- Attend an industry-specific conference
- Listen to an inspiring podcast for on-the-go pros like yourself
- Take an e-course to upgrade your skills
By challenging your mind and expanding your knowledge, you’ll reignite your love for your work!
DON’T: Forget where you came from.
When you aren’t crazy in love with your work, you can start feeling pretty dejected or unmotivated. The antidote to this is to remember where you’ve come from! Spend some time reflecting on:
- Pivotal moments in your career (e.g. first promotion, first sale)
- Accomplishments you have achieved in the past year, three years, five years, etc.
- Testimonials, reviews, or words of encouragement you’ve received for your work
Let’s make this Valentine’s Day about falling in love with work again. Instead of burning out from the hard work and hustle, rekindle the spark with your work. Try out some of these tips and tricks and let us know how they work!
If you’re looking for a top-tier flexible workspace where you can grow your business, then book a tour of The Post today.