Do you have a case of the Monday’s?

 

Catch yourself blaming your job – a lot – for being unhappy?  Or saying “life sucks because my job sucks”?  Well, maybe your job doesn’t suck; maybe you suck.

 

Apparently this quote was a favorite from my keynote speech for Gaining Ground: Go Green, Meridian this weekend! I said it after sharing one of my tips to better health: Find Work You Love, or Find a Way to Love the Work You Have.

 

And saying it this bluntly “Maybe your job doesn’t suck, maybe you do” wasn’t exactly how I meant for it to come out.  What I meant was to consider that YOU are the common denominator from job to job to job.  If you’re always complaining or unhappy, maybe your attitude is what needs the shift, not your job title. Here are just a few things to honestly consider about yourself and your work:

  • Have you become complacent? Do you challenge yourself in your work environment?  If so, can you ask your boss for a new or creative project?
  • Can you refocus at work?  Try freshening up your office space, literally making it a more welcoming environment to be in while you’re there.
  • Can you see the challenges as opportunities for growth instead of bemoaning them 100% of the time?
  • Or, if you really are unhappy and feel like it is truly the job, not you, do you have the courage to go elsewhere?  Do some research for other jobs in your field, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, and see where else you can apply them beyond your current environment.

 

It’s easy to blame work when life is hard: “Oh work sucks” but maybe it’s not the work, maybe it’s you. This is a simple case of taking personal responsibility for your choices versus blaming others.  If you’re not able to change jobs, because not everyone realistically has the means to do so, then figure out what you can change about yourself where you are and if nothing else, bring the best version of yourself to work everyday and be a positive influencer among your coworkers.

 

Look, we spend most of our time at work.  Our professional lives are a huge component of “primary food” (all the things that feed us that aren’t food), so it’s pretty important that we take the time to really look this thing in the face.  Work-life balance is a waste of time; strive for harmony with your rhythm, your authentic ebb and flow of work, “life,” leisure, and fitness.

 

Whether you’re in a job you love, or a work somewhere you can’t stand, what is ONE THING you can do tomorrow to make your work life better?  Tell us in the comments below!  I’m sure we’ll get some interesting responses. 😉

 

 

* PS If you’ve had too many cases of “the Monday’s,” you also might just be due for a vacation! 😉   Join Sarah Teddy and I in Mexico this May!! 🙂  Yoga, Adventure, Nutrition, Yogic Philosophy, New Friends, Rest, Recover, Play.