Job Crafting
Ever been asked to do something at work you didn’t really want to do?
Perhaps you’re weren’t sure if you could really pull it off. Or you just didn’t want to spend your days wrapped up in this particular work. Or maybe you thought your boss had gone completely mad!
A few years ago I found myself in exactly this situation. I was asked to take on what most people in my organization considered an impossible task to reposition our brand with a tiny budget, a small team and a tight deadline. And I really wasn’t that keen on spending the next year of my life on this particular project.
Unfortunately my career progression depended on me not just doing it – but doing it well.
So what can you do when the job you have, isn’t the job you want?
Using Your Strengths To Craft Your Job
Of course one of the best ways to make a job easier, more engaging and more enjoyable is to try and find ways to use your strengths – the things you like doing and that you’re good at – in your work each d
ay.
But if your job description wasn’t written with your strengths in mind and the day -to-day demands of your job have you running around like a headless chicken, just how are you meant to find time to play to your strengths?
Personally I was saved by the research of Professors Jane Dutton and Amy Wrezneuski who have discovered crafting your job by changing where you choose to spend your time and energy and how you think about it, can help you reclaim your power, motivation and relationships no matter what your job is.
In today’s episode of Chelle McQuaid TV , I’ll show you exactly how to use the job crafting toolkit created by Dutton and her colleagues to reshape the work you dread, into work you’ll actually love because it draws on your strengths.
Not only did the approaches I discovered mean my team and I were actually able to deliver the project on time, on budget and exceed every measure set for us, but it made the work I dreaded far more engaging and enjoyable and wound up getting me promoted the job I dreamed of.
How Can You Craft A Job You Love
Take a few minutes to note done all the tasks required in your job. Now divide them into those you enjoy and those you feel drained by. The ones you enjoy are usually are good indication of where your strengths lie.
Think about what you could do to grow those things you enjoy doing just a little more in your day. Remember for me even 11 minutes a day shifted the way I felt and performed. This might involve changing the type and number of tasks you undertake. It might mean thinking about who you spend your time with. It might mean thinking about how you think about some elements of your work.
Then experiment with what’s possible. Move past your own expectations of how you “should’ spend your time and find small moments – even if it’s at lunch time or just before your day starts – to use your strengths and shine. It’s likely everything else in your day will go better because you did.
If you want more help to develop your strengths grab my free video training series. I also recommend the step-by-step video on job crafting,
What would you change to craft the job you have into a job you love? If you’d like a little help with more practical, tested approaches to play with just ask below!
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