Mastering the Job you Hate

"OH, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY. They meet at the bar." ~George Carlin

Stop me if you've heard this one! You're sitting at your work desk. You're easily distracted by...well, everything. You're bitter. You can't remember the last time you were productive. But if you really stop to think about it, you can't even pinpoint why you're in a 'work-rut'. So you end up blaming everything: Your supervisor is terrible. Deadlines are too quick. The company doesn't listen to me or value its employees. The work environment, in your opinion, is not conducive to...well, anything.

And that's your professional life as you know it. A downward spiral to misery.

The good news is: You're not alone. (Which really only means anything if you believe in strength and support in numbers.) The more good news is that YOU can do better...and it doesn't even have to mean finding a new job. You can simply do better at the job you have.

First, let's talk about your focus. Along, perhaps, with your concern and influence. Oh, God, you're thinking....he's going to beat me with a Covey stick. Not at all...I promise- but I do want you to conduct an evaluation as to why your positive energy evaporates on a daily basis. You just might be surprised.

I talk to job-disgruntled people every single day, and I always receive the most surprised looks when I ask them one simple question: Are you wasting time worrying about things you can't control? And the alarming answer is almost always 'yes'. We remain so irritated at situations out of our control that the excuses halt productivity. We surf the Internet. We endlessly scroll Facebook. We shop online. And even worse...we justify it all.

It's the quickest formula to not getting a promotion or raise you've ever seen...and for you...it all stops NOW. I have 2 tasks (plus a bonus) for you, so let's begin by examining Figure 1:

The BIG circle shown below is your Circle of Concern. This boundary contains everything that gets you stirred up...everything you care about...and everything that ignites emotion. Take a second to let that soak in.

Figure 1: Circle of Concern vs Influence

The SMALLER circle is your Circle of Influence. Items in here include everything your actions and attitudes can impact. You control and influence everything in this circle. You have the power.

Figure 2 below shows just how out-of-control our Circle of Concern might become. We become possessed by too many external factors. A more basic example for the concepts can be seen with the comparisons of parenting an infant versus the parenting a 16 year-old. Your concerns for the teenager might be bigger or more plentiful, but your influence might be smaller. Whereas with the infant, you have an incredible amount of influence, yet your concerns would be more focused on current well-being of the baby.

Exercise: Draw the circles for yourself to get a snapshot of your personal or career environments. Are you wasting time on things out of your control? Is it time to redirect your efforts?

Figure 2: What's in your Circle of Concern?

Bottom line: Proactive people focus their efforts in areas they can affect and make changes. It allows their Circle of Influence to grow through experience and knowledge. With their motivation channeled on items they can control and their Circle of influence growing, 'The Gap' (see Figure 1) will shrink with every micro-achievement. Plus, spending less time and energy worrying about areas they can't control is a huge time management boost. It's a win-win.

The 2nd thing you can do to help your cause is pretty easy. Simply remember that negative energy in the workplace is contagious. If you want to be known as motivated, innovative, or positive, then all your actions must reflect it.

Are you feeling really motivated? Then harness your innovation and people skills to be a leader of change in your office. If the office environment is affecting attitudes...then why not implement measures that boost productivity? That's how leaders make their mark.

It may very well be time for a new job. There's nothing wrong with that. We'll polish up your resume`, knock the lint off your dress clothes, and sharpen up your interview skills. These days finding a new job is a small war, and you need to be ready to battle. But in the meantime, promise me you'll only fight the battles at your current job that are worth fighting. Put your energy and strength in places that deserve it.

~Coach Jake

P.S. Ask me how MaximalMe.com can help your business or organization enhance its working environment with my 2-hour "4 C's" program for Inner-Office Communication.

Email jake@MaximalMe.com for more Influence vs. Concern exercises.