I seem to be coaching lots of overwhelmed third sector people this summer. Our sessions focus on handling crazy workloads, getting out of the office at a reasonable time and coping with the pressure of never-ending demands and last minute deadlines.
I feel for my clients. I really do
And if the above paragraph describes what work is like to you as well, I feel for you too. It’s horrible to be so overwhelmed that all you can think about (apart from the work challenges whirring in your mind, of course) is getting the heck out of there.
Because that’s what will happen eventually, isn’t it? You’ll get so fed up you’ll hand in your notice. You’ll scan the job ads until something reasonably OK comes up, cut your losses and hope that the next place has less of a workload, more people to do it, fewer meetings, more money, less hassle.
Well, perhaps it will. And perhaps it won’t.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently as I prepare for my new Charity Career Reboot webinar. In my experience of coaching people in the charity sector, the most successful career moves – those which take people into a job they love – don’t tend to come out of desperation to get away from a difficult situations such as too much work or difficult colleagues. They come out of a desire to get into something. Something that person really wants because it honours who they truly are and what they can offer to the world.
Is your job the perfect job for you?
When people come to me to solve workload issues, I share the tools and techniques I know for getting things done in as stress-free way as possible. I coach them to handle the pressures of their current job so they feel happier in their role. When they come with difficulties with colleagues we coach around those.
And it may be that on the coaching journey, as they get to know themselves better, they realise that perhaps their job isn’t right for them. They might find that the signature strengths we identify in coaching are pointing them elsewhere. They might discover that the dream they had earlier in their career really is important and it’s time to take some action in that direction.
So, we might work together to look for their perfect job. Work that has them leaping out of bed in the morning to get cracking.
Or it may be, that once they’re coping better with the stresses and challenges of their current role they realise that actually they love their work and are excited about staying right where they are. They had the perfect job all the time.
Everyone is different
Whether you think you want to stay or you think you want to go are three very important things you need to know to find yourself in a situation where you’re doing your perfect job.
- What do I absolutely love to do?
- What am I really good at
- What do I care deeply about?
It’s my belief you can fall in love with your work if 1, 2 and 3 are present in your current role. Whatever else is going on. However stressful it is. However difficult colleagues are. If they’re not present, it’s unlikely, and you may need to move on.
Over to you
So, what do you think? Is it possible to fall in love with your work? And what about finding the perfect job which is deeply fulfilling. Possible? I’d love to hear your thoughts as I know not everyone agrees with me on this. Come on over to the Comments section below and hit reply.
What next?
If you want to explore what’s next for you in your career, join me for Feeling Stuck at Work? Reboot Your Charity Career With 3 Essential Steps. This on-line training for third sector pros is free to enroll in and free to join. Click here to register.