We have lost our sense of joy in work due to the epidemic of last year which is continuing to affect us even today. At the same time, we need to pretend we are OK with others even when we are not really up to it.
Many of us feel very low or flat especially on a Sunday evening, dreading the prospect of work the next day. Across industries, countries employees want to feel the joy of work, the feeling of happiness that you have contributed your very best to the work you have done and are prepared to go beyond your limits to complete the work.
It is important to understand this change within ourselves. It is easy to think that the epidemic was the key reason for the change in our attitude. Four root causes have led to this state.
- We are all weary and stressed out from managing our lives through the epidemic. Work from home has increased our working time increasingly encroaching upon our time. The boundaries between official and personal time have all but been erased. We have been facing continual uncertainty together with grief and losses.
- Many of us have been forced to present ourselves as OK when we are not. This makes us feel inauthentic, and this disconnect from our actual feelings reduces our sense of psychological well being.
- There has been continuous pressure to maintain a semblance of office work and maintain what needs to be done as efficiently and effectively as possible. We have not had much time to work on our strengths and this is one of the main reasons that we do not get any joy doing the work.
- Working from home has isolated us from our team members and this can not be made up in a remote technology platform, however much one tries. The feeling of belonging, proximity, the sense of touch can never be replicated remotely.
So how to regain our sense of joy at work? It comes from taking advantage of our strengths, be authentic and courageous as well as be connected. There are four steps to regaining the joy at work.
- Build on your strengths. Our strengths are catalysts to our joy. Identify your strengths. Consider ways to build them into your workday. Even spending a short 30 minutes working to your strength can keep you energised the whole day.
- Focus on professional growth. Invest time in professional development. Work hard towards professional goals and overcome the hurdles on the way to fulfil your goal and regain the passion on the job.
- Share with a colleague. Authenticity is an essential element to feeling good about work. It requires a place to feel safe to share your thoughts and feelings. this has been lacking during the epidemic as everyone got isolated working from home and not in a position to share thoughts and ideas. To renew this, identify people with whom you can share your thoughts and feelings without any reservation. Share your joy and what you are grateful for. This is reciprocated by the person you are sharing your ideas. This helps reinforce each other and rediscover joy at work.
- Rebuild relationships at work. The feeling of joy helps us strengthen our bonds with others and brings us closer to the people who are important to us. Find meaningful ways to engage with your team members. Try to understand their big opportunities and areas of mutual interest. This can boost your energy and enthusiasm and improve team working. Coaching helps connect with others.
All these efforts would help reduce the psychological experience of stress experienced during the last year due to the epidemic. Simple practices like what has been discussed can help us prepare and find joy in our work.
Rediscover Joy at Work
by Rebecca Newton HBR2021/08
R2G 