Good bye heavy work load!

Even though I love what I do, I haven’t been able to find the “perfect formula” to enjoy my job as I wish I could. I must admit: one thing is to love something  and another thing is to really enjoy it.  Where is the subtle difference?

When I started thinking about this topic I found it hard to come up with the reason why people and I find it so hard to enjoy the day to day work that we do. I thought that maybe it was because I worried too much about the future or all that has to be done.  Then, I thought it was about finding the perfect team and the ideal workplace. But our relationship to our job is similar to a romantic relationship: there aremany things, motivations, dreams, and emotions involved that it is not easy to pinpoint the elements that compose that so called “perfect formula”.

There are romantic relationships that are heavy and complicated even though they contain a great amount of love, they require that the people involved carry a heavy load that can be overwhelming. The same could happen at work: a lot of love, but too much weight.

When it comes to feeling more relaxed at work and not because of this have less love for what we do, each person is affected and motivated by different things.

I will mention six things that I have experienced.  Maybe these can help you avoid heavy feelings at work:

- Fear to delegate:  When you are in a position in which you feel you can control everything, you start doubting other people’s ability and talents.  I heard a famous entrepreneur once say that you should always choose people who do things better than you.  Believe me, it works.

- Desperately seeking perfection: At times we demand so much from ourselves but we don’t even realize it.  We spend our life trying to improve our weaknesses that we forget that no one is perfect and that we should actually be focusing on our strengths, instead of our weaknesses.   

- A full agenda:  The workplace is full of unexpected situations.  Appointments come out of nowhere, meetings take double the time expected, longphone calls, urgent emails, etc. Separating some minutes or maybe some hours a week to deal with those unforeseen events will help reduce our stress levels.  

- Forgetting to “start over” when required:  Coming back to our love story;  just like with boyfriends, it is difficult to have a healthy work environment if we don’t forgive and let go of lists of complaints we may have about certain people or certain situations.  Whether it was someone’s mistake or ours, who doesn’t like second opportunities?

- Indecision:  Calm, cool and collected; that is how we need to be when it comes to decision time at the workplace. We need to do things at the right time, taking advantage of the opportunities that come our way.  

-Jealousy at work: If there is something that can take our energy and peace it   is jealousy. Everywhere we look there could be a source of jealousy: higher positions, better pay, more attractive looks, an exciting bonus.  It doesn’t matter where we look at there is always the possibility to compare.  Why not change that jealousy into inspiration?

Only you can lighten your day to day to really enjoy what you do. No more heavy work load!

By Ana

Life is too short to be in a job we don’t like

Do you find yourself counting the days to the weekend? Or on Sunday Night do you start dreading the fact that the next day you have to work? Those are clear signs that you are not enjoying your work.  I’m stating the obvious, but maybe we need that little push to do something about a situation that we have grown accustomed to.  Life is too short to be in a job that makes us unhappy.  Think about it, we spend most of our time in our jobs, so shouldn’t that time be well invested? If you don’t love the work you do, try to find another one and if you can’t, then try to find a way to love the work you do. I know it is not that simple, but it comes to that, you are either going to enjoy the time you spend at work or you are going to feel miserable, it is up to you.  The book Fish tells us: “There is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself.”

Wishing every day for the hours to go by faster so we can go back home is not a good way to spend our days; it is actually a sad way to waste our talents, abilities and knowledge.  We all have a lot to give, even at a job we dislike or where we are not appreciated.  If we are there we need to make the most of that moment.  If we go to work with a new attitude that may not mean that our boss is going to give us an immediate raise or even be nicer to us, but at least we are making the decision to have a good day, and you will be surprised how that affects your coworkers and customers positively. 

Here are a few ideas on how you can live in the moment at your workplace:

Focus on the positive:  Sometimes we tend to see so many negative things at once that they bury the positive.  Once we decide (because it is a decision) to focus on the good, we see things with a new perspective.    

One hour at a time: We need to focus on what we are doing, to enjoy the challenge and forget about the rest.  Sometimes we are doing something while thinking about the many things we really dislike about our job, but those things have nothing to do with the task at hand.  Let go of the thoughts that are distracting and damaging your attitude.      

You are on a mission: Maybe the people around you don’t appreciate your work, or they don’t value what you are doing, but it is up to you to value your own work.  I am not saying that it is right and we should put up with abuse at work;  no way! But if you choose to stay in a job you dislike, then you need to make the environment positive, at least the part that you can control.  You are there for a reason; the work you do matters, so each hour you spend there is valuable. Make it count.

Be in the moment, in the job: If you are working then work, don’t text, tweet or play games. Many times we can’t be in the moment at work because we are continually disrupting the flow of things by checking our phones.  We are not only stealing from our jobs, but we are stealing from ourselves because we are not allowing ourselves to reach our potential. 

According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “Flow tends to occur when a person’s skills are fully involved in overcoming a challenge that is just about manageable.”  If the challenge is too simple we get bored, but if it is too hard then we get frustrated.  Our goal is to find that right challenge at work and to be so focused in what we are doing that distractions don’t steal from the now.  At that moment is not about the hours, or the boss or the pay, it is about the joy of doing a good job.  We have the ability to decide if the time we spend at work is rewarding or depressing, let’s choose wisely.

By Manuelita @manuelitaotero

The dream boss

I used to criticize the people who were serious and even cold in the corporate world.  I didn’t understand why it seemed to be so difficult for some people to smile and open up. I thought that they were unhappy and bitter; I would even leave the meetings in a bad mood. But after several years as a professional, I don’t criticize the people who keep a sensible distance from others at work anymore. I admire them now.  

Since I started working, before I was 20 years old, I always imagined that when I had the opportunity to be the boss, I was going to be the nice, fun boss.  I was going to talk a lot to my employees, laugh with them and do everything possible so they would feel relaxed and happy at work.  I dreamt of building this work environment, and that made me feel a Little like a heroine, thinking that I could achieve what so many people had not been able to: ‘to be the fun boss, the perfect boss, the ideal boss”.

But what I never imagined is that when that time came in my life I put to the side my work style and instead focused my energy on pleasing my employees.  I am not saying that it is bad to try to be a good boss, but I do want to say that when we obsess too much with anything we could lose perspective and balance.  What could have been a good idea may end up as a disaster, which is what happened to me.

Even today, after analyzing this situation from different standpoints, it is a topic that still keeps me up some nights.  What happened? What led me to this point? At what moment did I give up my principles and style just so I could be the perfect boss? I think in my case I was afraid to lose the image I had created of being the fun, modern, and understanding boss.  

How could the “cool” boss yell at someone for coming late to work if everyone has the right to manage their own time as long as they show results? How could the “understanding” boss write someone up for continuous mediocrity if we all can make mistakes? How could the “generous” boss not give good gifts to the employees since it is necessary to keep them motivated?

I knew all these things were wrong. I understood that lateness had a limit, mediocrity damaged the company’s goals, and that things in work are earned. Not only did I know these things; I believed in them.  So what happened? I made a mistake not due to ignorance, but due to the fact that I chose not to believe in anything.  I betrayed myself, I didn’t act with the freedom a boss should act with, I didn’t expect respect from others and I didn’t respect myself.

1. Take time to know what you like and dislike when it comes to work so you can understand your work style. If your style is serious and distant, it is ok, that is your personality.

2. Before starting a new job or a decisive meeting remember who you are, what do you really want, and what do you believe in.  Write it down if necessary.

3. The moment you feel something is not right, try to find the source and the solution.  Use your experience, knowledge, and vision.

4. Remember that not everything must be rosy to please people.  When you have to tell someone the truth, do it as soon as possible, especially if they are your employees.

5.  Give yourself the right and the freedom to be yourself at work.  There is no perfect job, boss, or worker.  Everyone needs to accept the weaknesses and strengths of others without covering them up. 

6. Be kind and cooperate with the people you work with, but find a balance.

7.  If you are a business owner or you want to be, know that you have the right to give your company your style and do things your way. 

Nowadays I am thankful that I didn’t have that many people under me before I had the opportunity to realize that the cloud where my employees and I were on would soon fall down.  I know now that if I have a second chance to be a boss, things will change for the better.  

“I am not slave to what people think.  I have been liberated of that obsession, of the necessity to give people the motives to applaud.  Now I only answer to my conscience.”  Borja Vilaseca - El principito se pone la corbata.

By Annonymous

Are you Really Enjoying your Job?

Nowadays, women from all over the world are going through a historical moment. We are doubling, if not tripling, our responsibilities. 

Besides the traditional role of mothers and homemakers, which we have held proudly for years, we are also business women, activists, full time or part time workers, leaders, project managers, writers, athletes and volunteers, just to mention a few of the many roles we play. Not only are we exploring new careers and activities, we mustn’t forget all the things we want to do with and for our children, husband or partner, friends, and family members.

Work has become a priority for millions of women around the globe, and many of them will say it without fear or apologies.  So, if work has become such an important part of our lives, why not make it an enriching, interesting, passionate, and enjoyable experience? 

I know there are many women reading this invitation, thinking that they already do; there also may be many saying: “Yes, of course, if it was as easy as it sounds”; “You just don’t know my boss”; or “Try to be happy with the salary I get”. There are many aspects in our job that are out of our control.  Maybe you want to change your boss, your office, your clients or your computer. The good news is there are things in your job that you have control over, such as the value and respect that you are giving yourself, respecting the work you do, not being so hard on yourself, and giving the best that you can give.  How many things are you doing to enjoy your job? 

I don’t believe in the world's standards of a great worker. He or she must be: organized, disciplined, responsible, always on time, positive, visionary and so on. On the contrary, every day I find more people that don’t comply with all those qualities, yet they have others that make them just as productive. The book “Go Put Your Strengths to Work” by Marcus Buckingham, a well-known business consultant, invites us to identify our strengths and work even more in those areas, that way we can use our natural talents to shine instead of spending a life trying to improve our weaknesses.  It is not about ignoring our weaknesses, it is about prioritizing.  

I am not the right person to tell you that “you are worth a lot in your job” or that “your job is a treasure and you need to take care of it” but YOU are the right person to discover and declare how valuable you are. As a person and an employee, you need to know and respect your talents; YOU are the one who can define if you want to focus on your strengths; you are the one who can decide if you want to do something big or small; you are the one who decides whether you want to feel better at a job in which you dedicate a significant amount of time.  

Many times we hear those who love us say we are “killing ourselves” over a job. I wonder if working hard is what “kills” us, or if it is the quality, the conditions, and the attitude we have at work that truly affect us. 

By Ana