How to Enjoy Your Work and Find Job Satisfaction

It may seem surprising, but only 30% of all people find their work satisfying and of those, only 10% find it extremely fulfilling. Even more of a surprise is that of the remaining 70%, all describe their work as less than neutrally fulfilling and 10% of them describe it as a living hell. 

 

When we consider how many hours a day we spend working, it seems amazing that so many are willing to invest so much of their life into something they don’t find fulfilling at all. In the current economic climate with so many losing their jobs, it’s understandable that most people want to stay in jobs they don’t particularly enjoy, but even in this climate, it’s possible to do something about increasing satisfaction and fulfillment in the work we do each day. 

 

Most people do a job, and very few see it as a career and even less see it as a calling. For many people, work is simply a means to make money; for others it becomes a way of expressing themselves and what is important to them. It is a way of expressing their creativity and a place for personal development that influences their personal lives. 

 

People who see their work as a place for personal development usually experience greater work satisfaction than those who only see it is a necessity and a way of earning money. Finding a career that satisfies us requires us to take an inventory of our skills, passions, values, careers available and our likes and dislikes and searching for a career that ticks most of the boxes for us. It’s important to remember that this is a journey and we may have to take jobs that help us to achieve the big picture, rather than think the work we accept along the way is the job we will stay in permanently. 

 

Aristotle once said, “Where the needs of the world and your talents cross, there lays your vocation.” The key to finding your perfect career is to match your skills and passions with the current skills need of the labor market. Ask yourself regularly if you are happy in your work and if you are not, ensure you spend time asking yourself why you are not and what you can do about it. Enlist the help of your supervisor, a mentor, a friend, a colleague if necessary to help you redefine your work purpose and ensure you maintain a healthy balance between life and work.