I was tired, chronically running on E, and sleep didn’t matter. It was a draining experience. All the life seeped out of me before the workday ended. By close of work, it was all I could do to get home and crash.

It was more like slide, really. All the energy I once had to go to the store or run other errands after work was gone. In fact, I was too whatever to sleep. I would just lie across my bed sometimes for hours, until I found the strength to shower, eat, and go to bed.

What was sapping the life out of me was work. It turned out I was doing the wrong work, or it was a negative work situation. And, when work is a problem, it can easily spiral into life. It took me a while to figure this out, and then to acknowledge it.

The first problem: I have what I call “The Chameleon Syndrome.” Whatever people want from me, I want to deliver—whenever I can. The second problem: I’m very sensitive to being out of harmony with myself. The wrong work created such negative dissonance as to cause physical, adverse reactions, certainly mental and emotional glitches.

These two problems caused me a great deal trouble. The second problem caused me to be deeply unhappy and dissatisfied. The first problem kept me returning for more. I learned this had been my pattern for many years. Only as I got older, the physical and mental reactions intensified.

I was sad—actually sad. And much of the time, nothing helped easily. Tears came easily. My work was tapping me, even my reserve, and giving nothing back. I wasn’t sure why. It was easy stuff for me. And yet I made horrible, egregious mistakes. It was as if my subconscious mind was yelling at me and I was too deaf to hear. So it acted: If I wasn’t aware enough to quit, it was going to get me fired.

Hard to believe, right? I know. I didn’t want to see it for what it was either. Lucky me, I know this to be true. (That was sarcasm.) You don’t have to take my word for it. The problems are real. And the solutions are attainable. Look around. Ask around. Read up.

In fact work—W-O-R-K—is the 4 letter word that is taking on a new positive connotation. It is the case that the face of WORK is changing, and so is the feeling toward it.

Why the New Attitude toward Work?

Let’s face it, most of us have little problem with the idea of working. And that’s good because people have more external pressures to work now, than ever. We just want a little peace on the job, right? Right now, many of us are feeling the pinch of not being able to find work we love. Interestingly enough, we’re less inclined to settle for passable jobs in less-than-optimal work environments.

More and more people are coming to understand that it is important and feasible to be happy in their jobs. In fact, being happy in your work goes beyond reasonable, it’s actually common sense. So, with increasing frequency, people are discovering that the key is to find their passion and have that be their work. It’s reminiscent of Neo and the others waking from The Matrix, isn’t it? Very cool! You can wake too.

Check Yourself and Your Workplace

It’s a far cry from the times when people were forced to abandon family traditions to pursue their dreams. Still, the idea of uprooting yourself, redressing your life situation is big, without a doubt. It’s important, then, to know that you’re making the right choice. If you’re anything like me, you look to yourself as possibly the problem, and you try to figure out what you’re doing wrong. But what if there’s more than you who’s a problem?

Adria Richards posted a video at AskAdria.com called 10 Signs Your Boss Sucks¹. She discusses indicators on the job that may mean you need to leave. Gossip and disrespect can really make your work life a misery. These are 2 of the issues mentioned. Watch her video and see if any points sound similar to your work situation.

Gretchen Rubin has listed 12 questions to as yourself during your review of your job situation². She suggests you take a look at your interactions in the workplace, with your boss and peers. Consider whether or not you know what’s expected of you. Then ask, do you have the tools you need? Her questions present a good frame to review your work situation.

And if you need to, change yourself to suit your work. You know how I said I have to check myself first? The reason is so that I can be as sure as possible that I’m making the right choices. If it’s the work I chose, I’m going to try to love what you do, like it or not. It may be only a minor attitude adjustment is needed. However, it may turn out that you need a new boss or a new line of work.

Ultimately, no change will matter if you don’t know what motivates the change. See how important it is to know what you are passionate about?

This new, possible work environment is looming before us, there for the taking. It’s almost a nebulous, ethereal goal when looking out from the throes of discontent. Still, people are moving toward this new work plan en masse, to earn their livelihood in an equitable and peaceful environment.

How to Find Your Passion

You don’t only check yourself to see if your in the right frame of mind. You have to look within for another reason. Remember I mentioned my chameleon syndrome? You may have that too. You need to ask: Are you doing what you’re passionate about? Or is it what everyone expects of you? Determining whether or not you’re doing what your passionate about, is an integral part of your peaceful work experience.

The barrier that must be torn down is one borne of conditioning. Whether it’s being groomed for the family business, the family hopes, or what teachers told us; we learned to behave as expected. (I did, anyway.) Many people know they want something new, different from what they’ve done for years. But, they can’t quite hear their heart-song any more. The first thing that must be done is to find your passion, which brings me to my final resource.

In the picture above my niece and nephew proclaimed they were conducting an experiment with the last of their bubbles liquid on the patio table.

When I think of doing the work I really enjoy, I’m reminded of doing work that feels like child’s play. Once I get started, the hours might pass like minutes. Sometimes I get a twinge in my stomach when I have to stop. You know that poke that makes you want to keep going when it’s time to put your toys work away? That twinge is what I’m referring to.

The final resource I want to point you to is Four Steps for Living Your Flame³, by Kirk Byron Jones. In it, he presents inspirational and faith based reasons for pursuing our passions as well as steps to help find purpose, to find what burns within. Read his message and try the four steps to help you find your passion.

Please take a moment to complete my poll, in the sidebar. Are you doing the job that keeps you inspired?

Are you getting the message from your body that your life needs to change? Get passed your blocks of getting by and pleasing others, and hear from yourself.

Remember the child’s play stuff you like to do. I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment, link back from your blog, or email me at sharils@blogaboutwriting.com.

Resources:

1. 10 Signs Your Boss Sucks, from the video archives at AskAdria.com
2. Are You Happy at Work? 12 Questions to Ask Yourself, by Gretchen Rubin
3. Four Steps for Living Your Flame, by Kirk Byron Jones

Related posts:

• love what you do…like it or not
• getting to the sweet spot of writing work
• balance: have your cake and eat it too

Writing is an important skill that can make you quite valuable. You can increase your value by learning complementary skills. However, it doesn’t mean that you should lose focus of the job that you were hired to do.

It’s important to continue to learn, in whatever work you do. As a writer, you learn how to complete articles quickly and cleanly. Anticipating the needs of articles will help you to get done beforehand any research you need. You know too that language is fluid, dynamic and therefore guidelines change. You need to keep up with changes and that’s a lot.

So Why Learn Other Things?

If you knew one thing, only one thing, better than any in your field, I wouldn’t necessarily bid top dollar to hire you. Wherever I work, I find that employers are of the same mindset. Why is that?

It helps to know how other departments work to improve the flow of projects. Knowing a little about design will help when you have to write the ad copy for 1 inch positions. Or, how to write the article so that the preview section to come from the first paragraph. Or, how to edit so that you can write your articles to need minimal revisions by the editors. These related skills will usually come into play somewhat throughout your work experience.

How Much is Too Much?

Most people run their businesses to maximize profits. Makes sense, right? It can get out of hand when the boss wants you to put on the multiple hats you wear at the same time. Unless you’re in a one-man operation, you need to focus on your one job. Sometimes employers forget or don’t understand that it’s a good practice to have people focus on their primary responsibilities.

Signs that things have gotten out of hand include:

• Deadlines constantly needing revisions – when deadlines are repeatedly being extended and you’re being singled out, there may be too much on your plate
• Work requiring more revisions than usual because of mistakes – many things requiring your attention concurrently makes you want to rush; things can easily get missed
• Bad stress from juggling multiple jobs – when you have several full jobs, it can be stressful to have to switch gears throughout your work day; bad stress can be physically debilitating
• Dread on Sunday for what’s coming on Monday – when your weekend ends early because your job takes your attention away from relaxation, something needs to change at home, at work or in your routine

Basically only you know when you are pushed to extremes. Even if you’re financially compensated for doing all different jobs (and this is highly unlikely if you’re being asked to do them all) at some point work starts to flag. After a point, it is counterproductive and if you care about your performance, it can be quite frustrating.

What’s an Employee to Do?

There are things you might to to pre-empt and solve problems at a job. Make an honest assessment of your skills before and while you’re working at a job. Always, do what you do to the best of your ability. Understand that in most companies there is some overlap and cross training. With that, there are things that you can do to minimize your being over-stretched.

1. Never say you can do what you can’t. And be specific about how well you know your skills. In other words, when you’re a writer don’t say you’re also a professional web designer if you’re two weeks into learning HTML.

2. Bring your healthiest self to the job. Get rest and exercise and proper nourishment. Being alert on the job will help you to think clearly, and be able to trust your work choices.

3. Something more difficult to do, don’t always say yes to get along. When you can’t, say you can’t. Early on in one of my jobs, I said yes to everything and all deadlines. I eventually learned how the company worked and what to say no to, and when to adjust deadlines.

Some companies don’t understand that one person doing three jobs is not the best circumstance, and should only be short term. Sometimes in those companies, there are bosses who are receptive and able to separate jobs, hire and pay people to do them.

4. Ultimately your best work will be done when you are in a good work environment. When your work environment is not good, when you can’t work with others to make the situation better and you know you’re doing everything you can individually, it may be time to leave. When you know it’s time to go, I suggest that you begin your exit strategy by searching for the work and the environment you need.

Make sure your choices are made based on earnest assessments of all factors.