If you have found your job isn't as satisfying as it once was, you can make changes to improve your satisfaction. If you give yourself more challenging tasks at work, your job will be more than just a paycheck.
Here are five tips for getting more challenging tasks at work.
1. Show Initiative
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One of the first steps is to talk to your boss about your current responsibilities. Ask him or her about other projects you can assist with or take on. If you see areas that require help you can provide, present your manager with a plan that allows you to fulfill these roles.
Bosses appreciate employees who are willing to show initiative, find ways they can improve the work environment, and challenge the status quo to provide a fresh perspective on things. Heading into this meeting with a plan outlining your own ideas for improvement is a sure way to get some new responsibilities as well as impress your boss.
2. Keep A Positive Attitude
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Many employees fall into a rut where they feel depressed or unhappy with where they are in their job. These feelings can have a negative impact on the quality of your work, as well as your overall attitude. One of the most difficult things to overcome, though, is a poor attitude toward your work.
Perhaps thinking of the importance your work holds in relation to the larger picture can help change your attitude into a positive one. Sometimes a simple attitude change is all it takes to find that satisfaction you crave.
3. Evaluate Your Skills
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Individuals are typically hired because they have the right skill set or potential for the job. If your job has become boring and unsatisfying, you need to re-evaluate those skills and determine how you can make them work to your advantage. In some cases, the skills you possess may serve your company well in areas you are not currently involved in.
Look at the range of work your department or company performs, and determine if you can help in these areas. You should also look for areas where you need to build your skills, challenging you to improve to serve your company more effectively.
4. Work For Yourself
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This does not mean you should quit your job and go into business for yourself. Growing your own business may be a challenge, but it isn't right for everyone. Instead, make sure you are focusing on yourself and your needs within the company for which you already work.
Many people work to impress their employer and as a result, they become bored with their work and lazy about completing it. Instead, complete your work with an attitude, which keeps in mind that your work reflects on you and benefits you, and work less for the need to receive recognition and applause from your employer. When you make your work about yourself, about your own career growth, you are more likely to challenge yourself and work harder. Your goal in all you do should be to make yourself more valuable to your current employer, as well as to future employers.
5. Forge New Relationships
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Your attitude can affect everyone around you. If you are working with a group of people who don't care about their work and are constantly negative, this will eventually affect your attitude as well. Evaluating your relationships at work and the attitudes of those with whom you interact with regularly can help you see if a change of scenery within the company can offer the boost you seek. Interacting with new people can have a dramatic impact on your level of satisfaction in your job.
If you find your job uninteresting and lacking in challenges, you may think you need to either deal with it or move on and find a new job. Fortunately, you have other options. When you follow these five tips, you can improve the level of challenge you experience at work and boost your overall satisfaction with your job, allowing you to enjoy going to work again.
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This article was written by Inbound Marketing Coordinator Tiana Tucker on behalf of CAREEREALISM-Approved Partner, 2U, an education-technology company that partners with higher education institutions such as Simmons College School of Nursing and Health Sciences to deliver their Master of Science in Nursing degree for aspiring Family Nurse Practitioners. This article was originally published at an earlier date.
