Is it okay to not love your job?

Some say it’s the greatest feeling on earth to be able to say you’ve turned your passion into a job. But how many people can actually say that? Is it okay not to love your job? 

Everyone would love to love their job, and many people do. On the flip side, many employees view work just as work, a way to pay the bills and fund a lifestyle.

Are today’s job seekers happy for a job to just pay the bills, or does everyone expect more these days? Should you be looking for something more?

What does work mean to you?

Work means different things to different people. For some, work is part of who they are, as much as their personal life. 

Many people need work to mean more than just a pay check. You may be looking for fulfillment, satisfaction and a place to seek new challenges and chase goals. Often, it’s important to love or at least enjoy your job because it’s an extension of yourself and what you need to feel content. 

Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi claims that “enjoying your work is the main factor in getting into a state of flow.” 

Being in a state of flow means being in the zone, where you feel focused, energised and full of creativity and ideas. If you are in a state of flow, you’ll approach tasks with positivity, which fuels productivity. In contrast, if you approach a task with a negative mindset, you will find the job much harder to complete. You’ll also be more likely to get distracted, lose concentration and achieve poorer results.

The theory behind finding your passion at work

A group of psychologists wrote about Implicit Theories About Achieving Passion for Work. There are two mindsets that explore theories behind how to achieve passion for work, called Fit and Develop.

The theory behind Fit is that if people follow their passion when choosing where to work, they will naturally align with the job and find success and happiness. This is obviously more challenging when the market is tight and there isn’t the luxury of choice.

Develop is said to be the more realistic approach. It’s based on how people can adjust to their employment, rather than how to select an employer in the first place. Under this model, people develop passion over a long period of time.

The study concluded that finding your passion at work can be achieved through both approaches, depending on the individual and their circumstances. 

You could choose to find a compatible employer from the outset or choose to cultivate passion over time. Both approaches can achieve the same positive experience in the long run.

These ideas relate to the idea of personalisation at work, choosing your own path and finding an employer who is willing to help you find enjoyment and satisfaction in your work.

How to find the love for your job

Jacob Morgan, a professionally trained futurist and the founder of The Future of Work University, posted on LinkedIn recently about how work and life are not separated. 

He believes work is life and life is work and that to be happy, we must do “a better job of blending our work and life together.” Morgan believes that if we take more control of our work lives, we can build the lives we want to live.

Here are a few ways to take control and learn to love your work.

Align yourself with common goals

Every organisation has a common goal or a set of visions and values. Look at how you align with them. Find a connection. If you can visualise yourself as part of the bigger picture, you’ll realise your worth. You’ll find a purpose and a motivating factor that will inspire positivity and passion.

Make connections

Engage and make connections with your colleagues. Whether you work in an office, work remotely or do a bit of both, engaging and collaborating with those who share the same organisational goals will help foster a more positive and enjoyable work environment to fuel creativity and productivity.

Fake it until you make it

As Jacob Morgan says,”‘fake it until you make it”. Push yourself to work outside of your comfort zone by challenging yourself during tasks. Completing something well and creating positive outcomes will boost confidence in your own ability and provide a sense of achievement for your work.

Adopt personalisation at work

Many employers are adopting personalisation at work. In essence, this involves an employer working with their people to understand what they need to create a positive employee experience that will lead to higher productivity, greater team morale and improved work culture. Working with an employer that believes in this approach will put you in a better position to enjoy your work.

A few last words

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has been quoted saying, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” 

Is it okay to not love your job? Yes! If you’re okay with not loving it and content to work just for financial reasons, why not? But considering how much time many people spend working, it would help to enjoy some, if not all, of what you do. 

The world of work has changed, and we have the opportunity to change with it. If you’re looking to find passion in your work life, contact the Heart Talent team to see if we can match you with a compatible employer.