How To Want To Go To Work Every Day   Frank Barnhill M.D.
 

Wouldn’t you just love a job that was so great, so much fun and so energizing that you actually looked forward to going to work when you got out of bed every day?

I think I just heard you say: that would be great, but it’s not going to happen!
And you’re right, it won’t happen unless you make changes in the way you feel about and relate to your work.

I believe a lot of the dread about going to work is due to feelings of insecurity about our jobs, lack of trust in highly paid executives and time demanding pressures placed upon us in a fast moving economy that expects more and more with what seems like less and less.

It was only thirty years ago, that job security was almost a guarantee if you worked hard and were productive in your work. A recent poll now shows the average worker doesn’t feel he has any job security. After all, it’s hard to feel good or feel secure about working for a company that is constantly on your back pushing for more productivity and higher profits, while paying it’s executives millions of dollars in bonuses.

Ok, I’ll admit, there may not be much you can do to directly change these things about the company you work for. But, you know, you do control the way you feel about yourself and your thoughts about work. That means you can change yourself, even when you can’t make a dent in anything else.

So, what could you do so that you look forward to work each and every day?

For starters, adopt the attitude that you own the job and it doesn’t own you.

After all, each of us really works for ourselves, not just the company.
If you worked for the company, you wouldn’t always get paid. Just ask any one who started a new business this year. They’ll tell you they often pay themselves last!

When you think about owning your job, consider the positive effect you have on your clients, your guests, your customers and your fellow workers. It has become very obvious over the last 20 years, the more people I help get what they want or need in life, the more prosperous my practice and I become. And of course, the better I feel about my work!

Next, think about the “cast” at Disney theme parks and swipe some of their “pixie dust”.

Disney defines the ultimate in living a job and having a fun experience at the same time. Ok. You’re right, Disney is a business that must make a profit to survive just like the business you work for!

So, what’s the “pixie dust” that helps Disney employees “live their jobs as a fun experience”?

I believe it’s a corporate philosophy of helping others that starts at the top and is consistently preached, practiced and delivered all the way down the ladder to the newest cast member. Then more importantly, I think every cast member becomes emotionally invested and truly believes in what they do and why they are there.

Ok, I heard that, too! So, you’re not at the top of your ladder and don’t have the power to make corporate “pixie dust”. So? You are somewhere on that ladder and directly affect each and every person around and below you.
So make your own “pixie dust”. Maybe you should give this article to your boss.

Helping others have fun obviously is a driving force at Disney. The Disney organization strives to bring out the best in its “cast members” or employees to ensure they give or “bring out” the best experience for Disney Park “guests”.

Knowing you have helped someone reach an important goal, such as having a great vacation experience or completing a job assignment on time and on budget, should be just about as rewarding as reaching that goal yourself. You have to feel good about what you do at work in order to feel good about helping others while you help yourself. You actually create a lot of your own job satisfaction!

Third, you must give yourself permission to have fun at work.

Just like you have to give yourself permission to help others have fun, you must also allow yourself to have fun at work in order to enjoy success and satisfaction in your job.

A lot of us feel intimidated by thoughts of having fun. For some reason, we tend to associate having fun with feelings of guilt about not doing something “more productive” with our time and energy. Have you ever found yourself mentally “fussing” at your conscious self for not finishing a project before going on vacation?

I know there are always going to be limitations on what you can do to have fun at work, but … if you look hard enough, I’m sure you’ll discover ways to inject a little fun in your everyday work experience.

When you do so, you’ll find you get a lot more done in a shorter period with less frustration about your job and the rat race we all fell into.

So what other steps can you take to create a less stressful work experience?

· Solve your pressing job related problems before you leave your work place so you don’t think about and dread the next day. Finish the workday first.
· Look for ways to energize your fellow workers and you will energize yourself. The same goes for fun. If they’re having fun you will too.
          The energizer bunny is inside of all of us.
· Make your work area inspiring and suitable for creativity and out of the box thinking. Don’t create distractions that will keep you from ding your job though.
· You must give yourself a chance and a reason to be thanked by those you serve.
· Set a goal to learn something every day at work that will help improve your life or others.
· Set a goal in your work life to build yourself financially and mentally.
· Develop the character that you really want to be. Don’t fake it. Give yourself an opportunity to be the person you know you will feel proud of. You know, the one that can succeed and be great. Give yourself permission to succeed and reach your greatest potential.

I’m sure you too can develop a “feel good” attitude about yourself and your job if you look for the good, and not just the bad in everything you do.
Dr. Frank

P.S. Please share your “job related feel good experiences” so we can continue to help others.
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