Reignite your crush on work.
Photography: Ella Jardim
Written by Ani Priyo
Lets be honest, if we had the choice most of us would love to hit that snooze button and not go into work, but that’s unrealistic.
To actually have a meaningful life; one that’s social, healthy (mind & body) and full of adventure, we unfortunately need to have some form of fund to do so.
We can’t give up work completely, instead lets reignite our crush with the daily grind and tap into the reason we were drawn to that job in the first place.
I’m one of those people who has a really bad habit of trying to do everything themselves. It’s not the worst attribute. I know it makes me an essential part of any team I’m in. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to maintain in the long run and eventually I’ve become burnt out and ultimately bitter in my relationship with work.
So, the first thing I suggest to reignite your crush is to ask for help. Collaborate.
In my own experience, my co-workers are more than happy to share the load and lend a hand, but sometimes they don’t realise you need assistance until you ask. Not only will it lift some weight off your shoulders, but it'll strengthen the work ethic and camaraderie amongst your team.
Another important part of a positive work environment is the team you’re working in.
We spend the majority of our waking hours at our jobs with the same crew of people, usually doing a repetitive form of work, so its super important we get along. If you’re not working in harmony, its very hard to find the motivation to get the work done, let alone, wanting to be at work altogether.
Bonding activities are a great way to strengthen and build team morale. Some examples of group activities include: karaoke, pub trivia, seeing a film, or picnics. The latter which is relatively inexpensive.
They don't have to be often either. Once event every few months is a good start, and also a good way to check in and let each other know, we see each other as people and not just as a number.
So far, I’ve mentioned ideas that help in the team aspect of enjoying your workplace again, but what about for you personally?
As I mentioned earlier, I have a tendency to try and do everything. Habits are difficult to break but one way I’m trying to counteract this, is by consciously leaving my work at work.
Now don’t get me wrong sometimes its impossible to do that, especially as an actor (there’s alway more lines to learn) but I suggest giving it go.
It’s extremely hard to relax, unwind and not be fatigued, if you have no space to do so.
If you can’t completely be work free at home, then delegate time to it. Once it hits that mark, you put your pen down, the books away and your feet up.
In saying that, trying to stay focused and keep things interesting in a job you do everyday, is not the easiest task. To continue loving what you're doing, you need to feel inspired.
I’ve found that when other avenues in my life motivate me, then I can come to work and get the job done. It doesn’t need to be something major either. My latest read was the book, ‘I might regret this’, by Abbi Jackobson, the writer and creator of the TV series Broad City. We share similar aspirations, so not only was it very humorous but also incredibly inspiring to me personally. After reading that book it brought hope to me, that all my hard work will someday pay off.
My advice; look to those who inspire you and find out what inspires them. You might find something interesting and unique that you hadn’t tapped into about yourself otherwise. If you’re inspired, it will radiate into your work and your life and ultimately make you happier.
The last piece of the happy work puzzle that’s always overlooked is food.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good uber eats session like every joe main street, but if you don’t feed your body well, then it can’t sustain your ability to perform at your best.
I’m lucky because working in hospitality there’s lots of relatively healthy and delicious food available to me, but I have noticed sometimes on film sets, when there is junk food as apposed to real nutritional food, the work ethic starts to suffer. Everyone is running on empty and most likely suffering a sugar hike, then crash, by the end of their shift. To be at your best, it is essential to have a balance of good food and fun food, for a happy mind to be ready to work.