Time is a very weird concept, once the time is lost, you can never get it back. A lot of times we wish that we could turn back time and change the choices we have made, or maybe to just relive a moment. However, knowing and understanding the concept of lost time and that time cannot be unwound, we are then left to wonder, are the things we are investing our time in worth it? Would it be considered “worth it” if we don’t feel the urge to turn back time to rechoose, or is it only worth it if we benefit from it?
Things that are considered to be worth it are defined as “enjoyable or useful even though you have to make an effort”, by the Cambridge dictionary. One of the ways that we determine if the things we are investing our time in are worth it is to check if they are meaningful. As an HR recruitment agency, we believe that it is important that we find a job that brings meaning to our lives, and not just another mundane job that brings bread to the table. Life is short, as much as we try to make the best of our lives, we spend most of our time working instead of doing the things that we genuinely enjoy unless you find that in your career.
So, with that being said, it is important for us to understand what is considered to be meaningful and there are four questions to answer! Let’s dive right into it!
1) Does my work allow me to use my own talent and improve?
For your work to bring meaning to your life, it is for the better that it challenges you to be able to bring you to greater heights, pushes you ever so slightly out of your comfort zone to expand your comfort zone. Because if there is no challenge presented at work on a daily basis, it will be painfully boring and frustrating, and you would feel that you are stagnant and not growing. But of course, on the other end of the spectrum, the work should not be overly challenging, which would also be painful and frustrating to feel as though you are not competent enough. It is important for you to identify your limit and work around them to avoid burnout.
Related article: How to Recognise Work from Home Burnout and Get Over It!
By allowing you to use your own talent and improve on them while working, with the combination of your experience and unique perspective, will allow you to become an indispensable asset to the company. Of course, at the end of the day, you will feel comfortable being able to do things that you know that you can do, and not do things that will make you feel terrible and question your own competence.
2) Does my work allow me to be myself, for me to choose my own actions?
A lot of times we find jobs for the sake of the pay and having the ability to pay the bills at the end of the day, but it is not sustainable in the long run. Often we find ourselves purchasing from companies that we believe in their vision and mission, and if they are sustainable and environmentally friendly, so why don’t we do the same for the company or organisation that we work in? By working under a company that aligns with our personal beliefs, you will be happier and more inspired to do your work, because you know that your contribution has a positive impact on the success of the company in the long run.
Again, if you were to work under a company that requires you to act like someone else, you would not feel the satisfaction of completing any task that has been presented. In the long run, you will feel unhappy and experience chronic stress and burn out which will affect your own mental and physical health.
3) Does my work pay off, does it provide any rewards at the end of the day?
Imagine this scenario, you work tirelessly day and night on this project, and you do not reap any reward from it, or the rightful credit was not presented to you. As much as it does contribute positively towards the company’s progress, at the end of the day, you would feel unjust, unnoticed, and underappreciated. Although it does not necessarily mean that you have to gain public recognition for your work to have a positive payoff, minimally for the workload that you have to do, you should get equal and/or enough monetary reward for it.
Or, maybe, for some things we just need some other tangible reward for our efforts, it could just be a positive feeling induced by the completion of the task, or other forms of compensation, such as a nice treat or a well-deserved rest approved by your supervisors. In fact, any form of recognition, be it big or small, should be considered as a reward and that your work is leaving a positive mark for your company.
Related article: 11 Fool-Proof Ways for Employers to Show Appreciation
4) Does my work support something bigger?
Now, we are not referring to something huge like saving the world or ending global warming. We are referring to just something for the greater good, even if it is just a small task, it could just be making the recruitment process faster or making a company’s website more user-friendly. Just because your focus, or your task, is small or narrow, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not making any difference. Much like what they say when Neil Armstrong first landed on the moon, “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. Who knows you might be pioneering something big for the future of mankind because of the small task you are making.
What this all means is that you should work under a company that supports the greater good and aligns with your personal goal so that you can find more meaning in it than just doing it for the sake of getting money home.
A quick recap
At the end of the day, same as all things, it is important for us to find meaning in our everyday lives. Even if you are not doing it now, it is still important that you find a career or even just a temporary job to rediscover the things that will make you more motivated, and your life would have more meaning. If you are currently looking for a job that can bring more meaning to your life, feel free to check out our services here.
Do check out our other articles about how to be positive during tough times, and how to stay positive when working from home in Singapore. Or, if you are currently looking for a job that brings meaning to your daily life, find out the 5 ways that you can improve your hiring chances while staying at home during this pandemic.
Like what you read? Check out our article, How to Align your Personal Goals with Your Professional Goals, to find out how you can find meaning in your job!
Read more: How to Communicate with Recruiters