Why do we abuse ourselves by doing things that do not feed us? Why do we allow others to influence us into doing things that we just don’t wanna do? We waste so much of our lives living a life that is not ours, doing things that aren’t us.
We have all had them, the infamous “bosshole”. You know, that boss who expects you to do everything at any time and done to perfection. Perhaps they bully you into doing work that isn’t even in your job description or pits you against other employees. It wasn’t the work that drove you mad, it was the lack of recognition, positivity and the lack of freedom to do your work in your own way that drove you to infinite stress. There are a lot of people who do dirty work that nobody else wants to do but feel a sense of pride because they are recognized for their work by someone who is grateful for them. The feeling of not being appreciated is one that resonates the most among workers who are not satisfied with their jobs.
The number one reason according to Forbes why people hate their jobs is that they are not respected as people.
But how do you command your respect? By saying no. You have to value your time and your life more than the money you make. It is tough, but why waste your time filling in hours at work only to feel that what you do is meaningless.
Never settle for the job and the life you have, you are fortunate to live in a society that allows change, you have the choice to continually find a place to work that appreciates what you bring to the table.
But what about outside of work?
Say no to the people who are negative, who blame and focus on mistakes that have been made. Say no to the people who abuse you and do not appreciate your talents. You can say no by increasing the price for the work that you do. You can return the ask and put the onus on the ungrateful requestor to return you a favor. You can simply just say no and let them know that you are just not interested in helping them anymore.
If you don’t put more value on the time and energy that you spend on people that do not feed you positively, the less valued your time and energy will be to them. As all things in life, you only get what you give. If you don’t give more value to your time, you will never get any in return. Focus your time solely on people who appreciate you, say no to everyone else.
ACTIVITY – Write in your journal or if you don’t have a journal, write in a notepad about something you did recently that you really wish you hadn’t because you did not get anything from it. Write about the empty feeling and regret that you felt. Write about how you would have changed the situation and the new response you would give now if you had the chance to change it.
Get More Time Series by
Yves Doucet, CEO and Culture Coach Dovico
Blog co-author Jeff Nagle
NEXT TOPIC: You may not know your purpose right now, or ever. But focus on what you think is your purpose and you will never go wrong as long as you are willing to change. This is what it means to follow your heart.
All Topics