We all feel a bit stuck at times.  

According to a recent Gallup survey only about 10 per cent of us feel ‘engaged’ at work. That means 9 out of 10 people you speak to at work today are not feeling it.  

Of course, many of us work to pay the bills and jobs won’t be perfect (that doesn’t exist). BUT there are things you can do to improve your work, and it starts with your head; your mindset. It's about how you’re approaching, thinking about and perceiving your job or work. 

What we’re focusing on at any given time determines what we are noticing and in turn that impacts how we feel. If we’re focused hard on something, we don’t notice anything else. And when this happens in the office, it can turn any work situation sour.  

You need to reframe things, or as I often like to say, put a different pair of glasses on. You can start to do that, by doing this: 

Step 1. What is it you are focusing on? Give yourself some time to sit down and think about what you’re focusing on at work right now. It may be obvious, but you might be so wrapped up in feeling the way you do, you can’t see it. Whether it's you feel you don’t get the best projects or something that’s happened like you didn’t get the promotion or your relationship with your boss. Notice it and write it down. 

Step 2. How much of this is you? This is hard to spot sometimes, (and often why people come to coaches like me) but what might you be overlooking about your part in this? Be honest with yourself, what might you be doing that is straining that relationship or is there some truth about why you aren’t ready for that promotion. What can you do about it? 

Step 3. Remind yourself what this job does for you. When something’s happened like you didn’t get the promotion, your relationship with your boss or another colleague isn’t great, this can obscure your view of everything else in your job, especially the bits you like, or work for you. Take some time to notice what you job does for you, for example it may be you get to work with people you learn from, or you work on interesting projects. But it could also be that it pays well for the sector, and you can take great holidays. Whatever it is, write them down. 

Step 4. Put it all together: how might you approach work differently? With all that thinking done, how can you approach things a little differently? Is it time to let something go and can you focus on something else? Write it down and put it somewhere you can see it every day when working.  

Need some help to do this thinking? Book a free chat.