“No one enjoys working, but you have to do it.”
This statement is a summary of many other statements just like it that perpetuate the notion that no one likes their job. Just by saying it, what else do you think of?
Bosses suck, breaks aren’t long enough, it’s difficult to get holidays, and can we stop waking up so early already?!
But what about when none of this applies to your current job? You get up and go to work with only a minimal nagging in the back of your mind about how you’d rather be in bed, but you have a good day, and by the time you get home you’re looking forward to the next day’s anecdotes and tasks.
Meanwhile, all your friends are complaining about their retail or fast food jobs and you find yourself unable to join in. Your coworkers are great, your boss is great… but what happens when you start taking that for granted?
The Popular Boss
While not all bosses have it figured out, there are a choice few out there who have mastered what it is to ride the line between “fun boss” and “bossy boss”. They keep us on our toes but can still kick back and relax at an office party without their employees feeling awkward.
When we’re starting out at our terrible minimum wage jobs, we dream about this boss. Unfortunately, when many of us find ourselves in the situation they dreamed of, we screw it up.
The cool boss lets you work at your own pace and provides rewards when you excel. And because we don’t always have someone looking over our shoulder it’s easy to get into a habit of slacking.
Motivate Yourself
If you feel like you’re taking your boss for granted and are started to slack at your job, it’s important to motivate yourself. Your awesome boss hasn’t gotten this far by letting people walk all over them, so just keep in mind that this is something that can end if you go too far.
Start off by making goals for yourself. Need to write them down? Great! Create an Excel sheet and maybe even share it with your boss. They’ll appreciate the initiative.
Remind yourself about how lucky you are. Do you want to chill out to the point where you’re forced to go back to that old job where you felt like you were wasting your life every day? Probably not.
Stay rested. As always, sleep, eat healthy food, and drink plenty of water, and you can power through anything. Come to work happy, remind yourself just how great it is there, and put in that effort. You know you’re not going to regret it!
Reap the Rewards
It’s a fact that self-starters get somewhere in the world. If you’re in a nurturing environment at work, the sky’s the limit in regard to the steps you can take to evolve within that company. And, if you’re happy doing what you’re doing, it’s even easier to put in the effort required to stay there.
Do you love your job? Then give yourself a pat on the back for getting to where you are today—and don’t mess it up!