Do you have the perfect work for you? Take the quiz to find out

February, 2011

By Craig Nathanson - The Vocational Coach™

Why the search for perfect work is important!

First, because no one will ever walk up to you in your current job and ask you! Your family members won’t ask you because change can be threatening. This is a question you must ask yourself. Work impacts our sense of self, our self-esteem and our happiness. It starts with asking the right questions.

Does your work make you stressed?

Do you feel like you never have time to relax and enjoy your work? Does your job make you stressed and full of anxiety all the time? Do you feel like you are always under time pressures? If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Is your work plain boring?

Do you find your work interesting? Do you look forward to it? Does the day pass quickly by when you work? Or does your work seem non-valued added and you lose interest quickly? If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Do you lack control in your work?

That is, do the events of the day in your work control you? Do you feel it makes no sense to plan anything because every day is like a fire drill and you feel like you have no control over your work and daily priorities? If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Are you always negative about your work?

Do you find yourself complaining about what you do to anyone who will listen? Do you no longer enjoy the people you work with and the work itself? Do you no longer feel committed to the plans and objectives where you work? If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Does your work just seem like endless bureaucracy?

Do you have to deal with endless rules and policy before you can get anything done at work? Does this frustrate you? Are you micro-managed every step of the way at work? You never getto make your own decisions about what and how you do your work. If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Do you have a lack of direction about your work?

Do you have a hard time linking your work to your greater life goals? Do you find that your work doesn’t align well to your values and personal plans which are most important to you?

Is your work making you ill?

Do you find yourself getting sick more often from your work, calling in sick, wishing you were sick, pretending you were sick? Have you lost energy when you get to the office and have little incentive to start your day? If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Do you have little information to guide you in your work?

Does your work lack clear goals and objectives? Are you not sure what it means to be successful in your work? Does it seem like your daily priorities and tasks change so it becomes harder to keep up?
If so, this may not be the perfect work for you.

Now the good news!

I am sure I didn’t have to tell you if you were in the wrong work. You knew this already. Sadly, this is the case for a majority of the people who work. Some of this should be expected when you are just starting out, say after college. Still, I would not suggest this type of work for long as it can lead to burnout and illness. But however, after 40 this type of work MUST never be tolerated. It leads to illness, unhappiness and low self-esteem. It must be avoided especially after 40, because it will impact how you feel about your life and sense of self. The good news is you can control this but it starts with a wiliness to ask yourself deep questions about what you want and why? The most important question to ask yourself after 40 is what work you are most passionate about and which aligns with what you are most motivated to do right now and which includes your deepest interests. You can ignore these questions but it will only prolong your job misery. Make today the day where you DECIDE and ACT on a new plan which has work has the centerpiece of your life. As a result, you will be happier, more confident and all those around you will benefit as well.

I'll be cheering you on as you go!

Craig Nathanson

Craig Nathanson is the author of "How to find the RIGHT work during challenging times: A new approach to your life and work after 40" and is a coaching expert who works with people over forty.

Visit Craig’s online community where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathanson’s books and CD’s, get some private coaching over the phone or using skype and webcam and in Craig’s office, or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.

Craig lives and works in Petaluma, California. His office is located at P.O Box 2823, Petaluma Ca, 94953. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or at craig@thevocationalcoach.com.

Craig's Vocational Passion Newsletters are edited by Anita Flegg at The Sharp Quill. The Sharp Quill -- www.sharpquill.com -- specializes in writing and editing for small business. You can see Anita's vocational story at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com/_vocational_community/_real_stories/story_anita.html

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