According to one commonly cited statistic, we spend approximately one-third of our lives at work. That’s 90,000 hours. 3,750 days.
The sheer amount of time that we work means that our jobs are always going to have a big influence on how we feel about ourselves. And yet so many of us still think that finding purpose at work is, at best, a perk: nice to have, but not an essential or even attainable career goal.
These three practical strategies could help you find more meaning in what you do and integrate work more fully into your Life-Centered Financial Plan.
1. Connect what you do to service.
When your phone never stops ringing and your inbox is always full, it can be hard to see your job as anything but a big to-do list. And many days, those things that you’re checking off just lead to more emails, more calls, more grumpy customers, and more meetings.
But at the end of all the effort is someone whose life or work you are improving. A small business owner who relies on your company’s widgets. A family that needs your service. A co-worker who needs your experience and empathy to get through their own day.
Not everyone can be a doctor or social worker. Appreciate that there’s genuine purpose in solving problems for people and taking a little extra hassle off their plates. And when you are recognized for that service, with a thank-you card, a high customer feedback report, or public recognition from the boss, take a moment to savor those tangible outcomes.
2. Cultivate workplace relationships.
Work is often isolating. We have so much to get done in a finite amount of time that we don’t have extra seconds to spare for the people around us.
Which only adds to more feelings of isolation and an even reduced sense of our work’s purpose.
But you may have more control over cultivating workplace relationships that you realize. Sure, on some busy days, chaining ourselves to our desks is the only option.
But do you really need to eat lunch at your desk three or four times per week? Probably not.
Are you really so busy that you can’t take a five-minute break every hour or so to check in with your team members? Probably not.
Do you really have to do everything yourself? Or could you find ways to collaborate with coworkers? Could working on a project with someone outside your department spark new ideas that might even improve what you’re working on?
Probably!
Also, consider taking advantage of opportunities for team building, training, and mentorship that can strengthen your relationships with both your company and the people working there. These roles can make your presence at work feel more important than your daily output.
3. Reframe your mindset.
In 1671, architect Christopher Wren was watching three men working on his design to rebuild St. Paul’s Cathedral after a fire. One was crouched over. The second was half-standing. The third stood tall.
He asked them each, “What are you doing?”
The first, hunched and miserable, said, “I’m laying bricks.”
The second, a bit happier, said, “I’m making money to feed my family.”
And the third said, proudly, “I’m building a cathedral.”
If you constantly tell yourself that your job is empty, then you’re going to feel empty. We all have the ability to focus on the good that we do every day and appreciate how work allows us to use our skills, connect with other people, and improve life for our communities and our families.
And with a Life-Centered Financial Plan, you can make those connections between your work, your money, and your best life even stronger.