Are you currently seeking more joyful opportunities, not only in your work but also in the things that you do outside of work? If so, this episode of the “Love the Work You Do” podcast is for you!

In this episode, I share some ideas to give you a running start as it relates to you finding more joy in your work. As an extra bonus, these things can actually trickle into what you do outside of work, as well. 

The first idea to help you find more joy in your work? It’s a very simple one but it does get overlooked: build your network.

Here’s a couple of reasons why building your network will add more joy.
Number one: If for some reason you have to leave your current job (downsizing, restructuring, lay-off, your own choice), you will have peace of mind that your network will be able to help you land your next opportunity.

Be proactive about building your network so you can be prepared for career shifts, business needs changing.

Another benefit of building your network (especially for those who are using their current job/role as a stepping stone to their next career move), is to build a network of people who can help you get traction with your projects, “side- hustle” or brand awareness. Getting more people into your ecosystem by building your network will help you eventually catapult your impact and success.

The caveat I’m going to say about that is you want to be sure that you’re building relationships intentionally and not selfishly either. In other words, make sure you are building relationships with people you can support and serve as well.

Another way for you to find joy in your work is to challenge yourself to learn something new about your field.

For instance, If you typed in a web search engine, your “industry” and the word “conference”, there’s probably going to be at least 10 pages of
workshops or conferences related to your industry.

And, when you challenge yourself to learn something new in your field by going to a conference or a workshop, you’re going to actually meet some other professionals there or some other people that are at least interested in that topic as well. 

I can tell you from experience, there is so much joy in putting yourself in the arena of learning something new about your field and it makes you feel more empowered.

Your willingness to learn something new also gives you the upper hand. For instance, you having some additional knowledge your “perceived competition” doesn’t, is certainly going to help you stand out when consumers are thinking about your service or your product. So, be mindful of putting yourself out there and the energy of learning something new about your industry.

Something else you’ll want to consider, as it relates to finding more joy in your work, is volunteering. Volunteering was THE thing I did that really established me in my local market fast when I first moved to the Southwest Florida market in 2005.

When I moved, I didn’t know a single soul. I didn’t have a job lined up. And it wasn’t until I actually put myself out there that I got an opportunity to work with an organization that valued volunteering.

And through volunteering, I was able to learn a lot about the nonprofit community, some of the resources that are available to people who need them. If it ever came up in the conversations I was having with other professionals or other acquaintances, then I was able to share those nuggets with those people. This added a lot of immense value to their world.

If you’re thinking, “I want to give, I want to serve”, one way to start is to contact your local United way for instance. Find out from them which nonprofits are within their ecosystem to serve and support. If you want to just do a volunteer project for a couple of hours or do something a little more ongoing, you could get some information from your local United Way.

The act of volunteering can bring joy to your co-workers, friends, and family because you can share with them what you’ve experienced. When you share, it allows your inner circle to learn a little bit more about what you’re up to and it can potentially get them engaged with a purpose that’s bigger than their own goals.

So with that said, I hope these three ideas spark your creativity to find more joy in your work environment. When you start implementing these ideas in your work life, I know it’s going to start fueling you personally because you’re going to feel a sense of fulfillment when you get up and go to work every day.

Bonus assignment: I hope these tips were helpful. I would be so grateful to hear what your number one takeaway is from today’s show. Leave your “take- away” in the comments of this blog.

Until next time, time to rock!

Take Care,
Erica

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