The Office Jungle. Judi James
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Название: The Office Jungle

Автор: Judi James

Издательство: HarperCollins

Жанр: О бизнесе популярно

Серия:

isbn: 9780007460137

isbn:

СКАЧАТЬ it as a stepping-stone to greater things, or a barrier to your career progression?

       EXERCISE:

      Let’s start by being honest – why exactly are you in your present job? Underline the statement or statements that get nearest to the truth, or fill in your own statement if none of the options is suitable (remember, this is not a quiz but a personal evaluation exercise):

      1 I am here because I feel totally fulfilled.

      2 I have worked my way up through my profession and this is the last step before retirement.

      3 This is my own company and I enjoy the challenge.

      4 I enjoy my present position, but have my eye on promotion within the company.

      5 I am using this job as a stepping-stone to something better in another company.

      6 I plan to hold down this job until I can branch out into a totally different career.

      7 I am here because I have no choice – I need the money and see little alternative.

      8 I took a job with this company as a stopgap but somehow seem to have been here for years.

      9 This is the job I always wanted to do.

      10 I had other plans but dreams rarely become reality.

      11 I had no choice in my career and feel bored and resentful.

      12 This was the job I wanted but certain factors make it less enjoyable than I had anticipated.

      13 I hate my job but I am stuck with it.

      14 I have no idea whatsoever.

      The demands made on you at work may be immense – bosses expect loyalty, commitment and dedication, while the work you produce is supposed to be well-nigh flawless. Reassessing your options and ambition is like having a spring-clean. Knowing you’re unhappy in your job is not a step forward – but understanding the need to compromise is. So is planning objectives.

      The human brain needs challenges and objectives for stimulation and happiness, but it’s hard to keep sight of those longer-term goals if you’re peering at them over a mountain of paperwork, e-mails and constantly-ringing telephones.

       ACTION PLAN:

      1 Make time for yourself, and for self-assessment, rather than always listening to and relying upon other people’s opinions of your talents and abilities.

      2 Find out how you got into your present job and target any areas of unfulfilment.

      3 Develop your own positive inner voice and listen to it.

       2 Do You Hate Your Job?

      Let’s assume you hate your job and you have no choice but to stick with it. No – let’s go back a step. If you hate your job you should change it. You can’t? Then you are in the same situation as a lot of people, stuck in a job they loathe so that they can pay the bills.

      Trapped

      Of course you should still look around the jobs circuit, because knowing for sure that there is no escape from the routine you’re in could just send you over the edge. Job ads are fascinating because they allow us to fantasize. Keep trying, though. Someone has to get each job. If you give up applying you know you’ll do no better.

      Back to the job you’re in. Why do you hate it? Possibly one, some or all of the following reasons:

      1 It’s boring.

      2 You hate your boss.

      3 You’re overworked.

      4 You’re taken for granted.

      5 The job’s too easy.

      6 The job’s too difficult.

      7 The job’s too repetitive.

      8 You hate your colleagues.

      9 The journey’s too demanding.

      10 You feel unfulfilled.

      11 Your pay is too low.

      12 You hate work.

       Boredom

      Being bored can induce stress, inertia and irritability. You may feel your life passing before your very eyes. Boredom can make you want to scream with frustration. It can occur through being both over- or under-employed, although many people fail to recognize the symptoms when they’re busy.

      Long-term boredom has a flattening effect on the brain. When stimulation reaches a zenith we become docile and dull. We forget we used to be interesting people. Some of us even get interested in the terribly boring things we have to do at work.

      This failure to differentiate the dull from the fascinating is a disease that leads to suffering at home, too. This is where you are most likely to inflict your Tales of the Expected on your nearest and dearest, rattling on for hours about someone from Audit who took the wrong mug from the kitchen to water his desk plant and the ramifications thereof, without ever once realizing that your partner and kids lost the will to live two minutes after you opened your mouth.

      If you are bored in your job look around – is there anything a wee bit more stimulating in the offing? Avoiding the options of alcohol or an office affair, is there any work to be done that you feel you might find a challenge?

      Or is there anything you could organize among your colleagues that might make the day go with a bit of a buzz? (Again – preferably not sex or boozing.)

      If your feeling of frustration, boredom or being unfulfilled is long-term, try compiling an action plan to get yourself out of a rut.

       ACTION PLAN:

      1 Look around for another job.

      2 Look around at your own job. Is there any promotion you might apply for? Are there any other duties you could volunteer to take on that may relieve the boredom a little?

      3 Can you work flexi-hours? Could a change of timetable make any difference?

      4 Is there anything you could organize with your colleagues? Team sports against groups from other companies? Charity events? A company magazine? If the job is dull some external stimulation like this may make things a tad more interesting.

      5 Sandpit. Allow and plan for several times in the day when you do something you would like to do.

      • Do you work alone? Could you play music as you work?

      • Take time out for a good cup of coffee or treat yourself to some exotic flavoured tea.

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