01/ 27/ 2006
by Jeffrey Moses
From time to time, most people go through a period during which it’s hard to muster up enthusiasm for work. This is normal, and usually a vacation or a little time off reignites your passion. When weeks drag by in such a state, you may need to take a closer look at why you're not looking forward to starting the workday.
The common reaction is to think that you're no longer in the right field, or that it’s time for you to look for another job, start over at another company or pack everything up and move to the beach. Usually, however, there is a logical reason for your dissatisfaction, and addressing the problem can get you back on track.
1. Accumulated fatigue. Small-business owners are notorious for working too hard. Evenings, weekends, holidays––“whatever it takes” is the mantra of most self-employed workers. Inevitably, this leads to an accumulation of fatigue. The mind and the body can take only so much before needing rest––often an extended rest.
Fatigue often manifests itself as the inability to become excited about things. When tired, you may be listless, detached or downright bored with work, hobbies and everything else you once were once passionate about. At such times, things that once excited you may suddenly seem not worth the effort.
To alleviate such accumulated, deep fatigue, you may need an extended period of rest. Not just a day or two, but a week, two weeks or more. Take a vacation or just rest around the house. During this period of rest, avoid work as much as you can. Many people find that when fatigued, working just one hour during a “rest” day can be as tiring as working the entire day.
An interesting side note: Working when chronically fatigued is a common cause of weight gain. A person may eat more than usual, feeling that the added calories will increase energy. Of course they don't, and the result is added pounds and even greater fatigue and frustration.
2. Chronic underpayment for services rendered. Self-employed individuals who work on extended projects under contract––freelance writers, graphic artists, Web designers, software engineers, etc.––often take on projects that extend much longer than expected, resulting in inadequate payment for the time and effort invested. Toward the end of a long project when funds have been used up but additional work is required, a person can become irritable, tired for no apparent reason and bored with the task.
When this is the case, try to correct the situation as quickly as possible. Speak with the company or group for which you're working, explaining why the project extended longer than anticipated, and that your funds have run out. Often, companies will work with you because they don't want their projects jeopardized by underfunding. When taking on new projects, make funding more flexible or simply ask for more money, so you won't be caught short near the end.
Along these lines, salaried workers who feel they are underpaid may resent their work. The result can be mediocre performance and excessive absenteeism.
3. Difficulties with co-workers. This is a common but often unrecognized source of job dissatisfaction. If you're having personal problems or work-related difficulties with co-workers, do everything you can to work it out quickly.
4. Health problems. General health problems can zap our energy and make work seem difficult, uninteresting or even a nuisance. When you're going through health problems, acknowledging this can help.
5. Family difficulties. Few things are more emotional than family difficulties. Taking care of elderly parents, caring for ill children or spouses or having marital difficulties––among a host of other potential family problems––can take a toll on your mental and physical energies. Inevitably, this can make work seem like just one more thing to worry about, instead of the exciting and rewarding challenge it has been in the past.
6. Excessive repetition. When you have to do the same thing over and over, your work may become so dull and uninspiring that you can hardly bear the thought of it. When you find this to be the case, try to branch out. Broaden your responsibilities, take on new challenges and reignite your enthusiasm.
7. Changed job description, for the worse. If the requirements of your position have changed, the new work you're doing may be dragging you down. Entrepreneurs often find that starting a company is exciting, but maintaining an ongoing business can have many dull moments, such as doing paperwork, meeting with bankers and planning a budget.
