By Dr Attia Anwer
“If you cannot work with love but only with distaste. It is better you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.”
Kahlil Gibran
The benefit of loving your job is that you will see your job not as a burden put on you. You will feel it is your conscious choice. You spend much time on your job, and if it is only a liability for you, you will feel frustrated. But if you enjoy your work you will genuinely look forward to doing it. When you achieve your goal or widen your skillset you will have a real sense of satisfaction. Of course, you cannot like everything about your job, but you can learn the reward feeling after doing a challenging task. When you strike the right balance, you will feel passionate, committed, and connected to your work. When you have these three elements you will be looking forward and excited to start your job most days. Understandably it is hard to ignore a thing that brings you happiness. Enjoying your job not only brings better quality of work and increased productivity. It also brings better mental health and better overall health and wellbeing. When you find yourself in a role that you enjoy and which suits your lifestyle, you will find so many added positives to your life. And you can be in a state of flow or being in a zone. Steve Jobs said the only way to produce great work is by loving your job, as this will lead to success in the workplace.
There are many studies which show that if you are not happy with the work you do. You will have many problems with your mental health. Of course, you cannot quit your job but you can find ways by which you can enjoy your work. There are three basic levels of involvement in your job. If you cannot do even stage one, then it is healthier for you to quit that job and do something else.
The first level is acceptance. For example, you are doing a job due to your circumstances, which cannot be in any way exciting. Then what you can do is accept the reality and do your work. It is not going to produce outstanding results but it will not deteriorate your mental health. If you start hating your job then you are in a fight with yourself and that is dangerous. Do everything in your capacity to avoid hating your job by de-cluttering your desk, splitting up less preferred tasks, and Celebrating small achievements. Try to surround yourself with a network of supportive colleagues. Avoid rushing and manage your stress by being kind, by meditation, and by taking fresh air. If nothing works for you in spite of your sincere efforts. Then it is time to find something else for which you are a little passionate.
The second level is enjoying your work. This is something which you should do. If you look forward most of the days to go for your work this is the right job for you. It is going to produce good results for you and the people around you. You will be successful in being at ease. And the persons whom you are working for will thrive. You will thrive too. You may not produce masterpieces or extraordinary results, but you will have an impact on the world if you are doing things, that you enjoy.
The third level is being excited about what you are doing. When you are in a flow. You are so involved in your work that you lose track of time. This is called being in a zone by masters. Everything you are doing is in complete harmony with your mind and heart. You are not concerned about how it is going to be perceived. Or what will you get in compensation? Here is the stage when masterpieces are produced. The paintings are remembered for centuries. The films which are made directly from the heart are going to touch other people’s hearts. The books that are written in a state of extreme love and excitement are the books that stay for a long time. If you are interested in science great inventions are made. These inventions are going to change the lives of millions. If you are interested in computers or electronics, you are going to build an empire or develop some software that is going to change the face of life on Earth completely.
If you are at the level where you have to work, you cannot accept it even. You can make certain changes in your routine to boost your acceptance level. You should practice gratitude. Being thankful for the job will help in liking and accepting your situation. Do some kind acts for the people around you. That will give you some sense of well-being. You can decorate with plants and clean your space, if possible that is going to give positive vibes to you.
If any of the things are not working for you, sit alone and try to find your passion. Everyone is made to do something, and everyone has his role in this universe. When you find it your heart is going to know that. You will feel an ocean of joy flowing through you. And worldly success will follow you. You will radiate and be helpful to everybody.
I conclude by saying there is enough evidence that having a job that you love plays a vital role in the harmony of your life. It will positively contribute to your health, your lifestyle, your well-being, and the quality of your work.
The author Dr. Attia Anwar is a consultant family physician with a postgraduate degree from the Royal College of GP UK. She is a strong advocate of health and well-being and wants patient participation in decision-making regarding health.
