Nine to five. Five days a week. A few weeks of vacation each year. Time can drag on. Life can become mundane. As the song says, we start working for the weekend, but wouldn’t it be nice if we enjoyed the labor as much as its benefits and, of course, payday?
We can.

The key is finding a job that you are suited to. For an extroverted people person to be tied to a desk, typing at a computer all day long and having little to no contact with any other person all day is not only exhausting for that person, it is a grand waste of skill. It is important to find a career that is suited to your natural gifts or skills.

There are different options for finding a job such as this. For one, it is helpful if there is a subject in high school that you enjoyed a great deal; this can help lead the way to a specialty in post-secondary school and voila, an enjoyable career. For some, this is the easy answer, but many of us aren’t so lucky. In fact, there are many people across the world that have finished their undergrad, and sometimes even their graduate level studies, who have not yet come to the realization of what they would like to pursue as a career.

So, a second option for these types of people is trying out one of the many career surveys found online. Some of these surveys cost a small fee, but depending on the individual, they may be well worth the direction and possibilities they may provide. A third option is paying a visit to a career counselor who may be able to further direct you in your pursuit. For students still in university or college, these types of career counselors are often available in the school’s student life department.

For many, the help of such services can be seriously beneficial and bring to light possibilities that you may never come to realize on your own.

If you are already a member of the workforce, at this point you are either working in a career that you thoroughly enjoy or are attempting to work through the daily grind of your job. If you have found employment that you enjoy, congratulations. However, if you dread your job, you are not alone, but you don’t necessarily have to hate work. There are ways to enjoy the everyday requirements of life, including your job, by doing what you are doing purposefully.

If you are working a job in which you serve people, be conscious of the fact that you are going to make or break their experience. Take an approach to the job wherein you are the consumer wanting a good experience. Being friendly and helpful can be contagious; pass along a good thing. In the same light, if you are in a job in which you sit in front of the computer all day punching numbers or making graphs, do it purposefully. Have a mindset that you are doing something important. Realize that your work is valued and that it needs to be done, not simply so you can make it through the day and get out of there, but that it needs to be done so that the company can run and you have been entrusted to do this work. Remember your job has a purpose, and therefore, you have a purpose in doing it.

Also, while working in the employment that you have chosen (or the employment you have fallen into) remember that it is never too late to better yourself. Some companies encourage their workers to continue their education by providing financial assistance to take extra training courses or provide the training courses through the company. It is also helpful to look into night classes available through local colleges or universities that may be beneficial to you as an individual or to you in your career. Bettering yourself may mean that your employer finds you to be in higher demand; as your knowledge base increases, your pay may increase too.

Other ways to enjoy your present employment situation are to:

• find joy in the simple things
• build office friendships
• take mental escapes (a two minute mental vacation may bring some joy to your day)
• pursue excellence in the mundane; this can be rewarding and your employer may see you in a new light
• re-measure success; take everyday on as a challenge

Many people see their work-life as grueling and desire to see their jobs improve. The key is to be proactive. Do not simply settling in being a victim of a job you hate. Take a fresh look at your work. Embrace the challenge of everyday. Better yourself and make the most out of your work. Who knows where you may end up?