Motivational Article

Is this how you feel about your work some days? Everyday? Is it hard to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Do you have too much to do and too little time? Does W-O-R-K spell W anting another O ccupation, R eady to K eel over?

You need a Pay Day. Here's how it works: for every statement, circle whether you believe it is True or False. At the end, you find out how big your check will be. Ready? Go.

1. I work only because I need to earn a salary to support myself and my family, not because I want to. T or F

2. I am doing this job because it is the only thing I am qualified for. T or F

3. There is no way I can be happy or fulfilled doing the job I am doing. T or F

4. It's not my fault I am not successful—something or someone always gets in my way. T or F

5. There is nothing new to learn—I am at a dead end. T or F

If you circled 3 or more T's, it's definitely Pay Day—you get an extra big check. Reality Check, that is!

Let's look at the statements again from another angle.

1. Work can be an inescapable grind endured only to pay the bills. Or, it can be an exciting challenge—a chance to learn new skills and interact with interesting people and to find out what you are capable of achieving. What would you like to get paid to do?

2. Whether you mop floors or build space stations, you have a particular talent and set of skills (even if you haven't tapped them yet). What are you good at? What would you like to be good at?

3. Unless you are doing something illegal or unethical for a living, you can always find a way to be more fulfilled. Take on a new project, try out a new idea, give a little extra customer service, or mentor a co-worker. What you put into it is what you'll get out of it. What would it take to make you more satisfied with your work?

4. Don't play the blame game. You control your life—you are in charge of the decisions you make and responsible for the consequences. Every choice you've made in the past has led you to this point in the present. What choices do you need to make for a better future?

5. There is always something new to learn! Learn how to operate that new machine and get a reassignment or promotion; learn the newest computer application that will make your job easier; learn a new language to communicate with your customers or overseas co-workers. How soon can you begin?

W-O-R-K

We all have work issues. Even those of us who are fortunate enough to love what we do (and do what we love) have bad days that seem impossibly difficult. But if we allow ourselves to be continually negative about our work that energy will be manifested in poor performance, damaging our professional lives as well as our emotional, mental and physical health.

When I feel “stuck” in my work, it helps me to think about my choices.