How To Know If Your Current Job Is The Right Long-Term Fit For You
Confused if your current job is worth holding onto? Look for these three signs to clear the fog.
By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | February 10, 2023
Many people come to therapy feeling unfulfilled, uninspired, and disconnected from their jobs. They ask questions like:
- "Am I actually enjoying my work?"
- "Why do I feel so drained after a day at work?"
- "Do I even like what I'm doing?"
Lacking job satisfaction and feeling unfulfilled at work can impact your mental health, relationships, and overall life satisfaction. Remember that you are not alone in these feelings.
Here, I'll discuss three signals to tune into to tell if you are truly enjoying your work.
#1. You find yourself interested in things other than your work
When you enjoy your work, you tend to have a healthy balance between work and other aspects of your life. You may find yourself devoting more time to hobbies and activities outside of work. These extracurriculars can bring a heightened sense of joy and fulfillment to your life – and can help you maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium.
While it's important to be passionate about your work, research divides passion into two types, one of which is healthier than the other:
- Harmonious passion requires that one pursues an activity with a sense of balance and flexibility
- Obsessive passion, on the other hand, suggests an overwhelming urge to engage in an activity and to become wholly preoccupied with it
It's better to be harmoniously passionate about your work than obsessively passionate.
#2. You enter a state of flow
When you are truly enjoying your work, you may enter a state of flow. This means that you are completely absorbed in your work and lose track of time. You feel fully engaged and motivated, and you may even forget about the outside world.
According to research, the state of flow can be a sign of true job satisfaction and indicates that you are challenged in a way that is both enjoyable and fulfilling.
When you are in a state of flow, you are more likely to be productive, creative, and motivated, which can lead to higher-quality work and improved job performance. The state of flow also enhances creativity, boosts self-esteem, and provides a greater sense of purpose and meaning.
#3. You find your work to be exciting
Another sign that you have found a career that aligns with your values and interests is if you feel a sense of excitement about it. When you find yourself truly passionate about your work and look forward to the challenges and opportunities that each day brings, it makes waking up in the morning a much more enjoyable experience.
You may notice an increased eagerness to get started, tackle the tasks at hand, and connect with your colleagues.
Conclusion
No job is perfect and we all have bad days and bad weeks. However, if you find yourself becoming interested in topics outside of work, feeling enthusiastic about your work, and frequently entering flow states during your workday, it's likely that you've found a good spot for yourself. Be cautious about pursuing a "grass-is-greener" mentality. But, at the same time, don't ever be afraid to make a change if you feel the time is right.