Craig Nathanson is the author of P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day and a coaching expert who works with people over forty.
Most people are good at being unhappy at work
There are so many people who are already unhappy at their work. So probably I don’t need to teach them since they are already so good at this. But for those who want to change bad habits a reminder sometimes is a good idea.
1. Work for JUST the money
When you work for JUST the money after 40 you will start to resent your work. Work will start to seem like an obligation. Everyone around you will feel like competition. The money will not be appreciated and it will be spent quicker. When you work JUST for the money, it is easy to lose track of one’s sense of purpose and values about their life and what is most important.
This is a great way to be unhappy at work especially for those over 40 who have been unhappy for many years at work due to society pressures and expectations.
2. Make money doing something you don’t care about
Make the money you need in ways which make no sense to you. Work in areas which the work is not coherent to you. That is, work in areas which do not make sense to you at the end of the day. Go to sleep after doing work all day which provides no joy or meaning. This will be great for restless sleep, worry and of course unhappiness about one’s work!
3. Ensure that your work really DOES NOT interest you
After 40, this is very important. Work which provides no interest will set you up for retirement and then a quicker death. Work which does not interest you will impact your sense of self, your happiness and affect how you relate to those around you. This will be great for becoming anti-social and unhappy.
After 40, ONLY work at things which clearly do not align your interests and abilities
4. Only work at things which you are good at
This is a great strategy for being unhappy at work. Do work which you are really good at but no longer interested in. This will keep you in dead end jobs for years JUST for the money. Human Resource policies around performance management will always make you the winner ensuring many more years of making money and unhappy work.
5. Have no sense of urgency about your life and work
This is another great way to stay unhappy at work. Just wait for good luck or better hope something will happen to make your life and work better without action- a sure recipe for unhappiness!
6. Work in JOBS and careers after 40
This is one of the best ways to ensure unhappiness in mid-life. Just work in defined jobs with nice titles and even better career tracks with hopes to someday retire and finally be happy and do what you want. Just waiting for someday will almost guarantee your unhappiness at work.
7. Look forward to retirement
Plan your retirement and all the things you will finally be able to when you stop working. This is one of my best recommended strategies for unhappiness at work. For sure life or the economy will get in the way and you just might have to work forever at just jobs.
8. Actually, retire!
Just stop working and join activities with other retired people. Enjoy the good life. This is a great strategy for unhappiness. Soon a life without new goals or meaningful work and contribution will set in and the water will boil before you notice it. This will speed your progress towards unhappiness.
9. Work around people who enjoy what you don’t
This is a great way to become unhappy at work. Work in areas which everyone around you seems to enjoy except you. Soon you will feel like you are broken and that something is wrong with you. A sure path to unhappiness!
10. Have a job and DO NOT have your life’s work
This is my favorite. JUST have a job that one day you can retire from. For sure don’t think deeply about the world and where you want to make a greater difference especially after 40. Forget contribution, joy, meaning, and all those silly concepts of vocation.
Just assume a job is work and the rest of your life happens after you get home.
Does this sound familiar?
Does your work fit into any of these ten steps? The good news is by following of course the opposite direction of these steps WILL ensure you a lifetime of happiness and joy and a sense that your work matters. Now this can ENABLE happiness!
I'll be cheering you on as you go - Craig Nathanson
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