Shift Work Job Satisfaction – What’s Your Tipping Point?

BalanceFinding a job which is enjoyable, challenging and invigorating can certainly be a hard thing to do. Actually it can be very hard thing to do.

So if you struggling to find some kind of shift work job satisfaction, have you ever asked yourself “… what’s my tipping point?”  That is, is there something or someone that will “tip you over the edge” and encourage you to finally hand in that resignation?

Because despite what you may think – you really should have a tipping point.

Why? Well we all know people who whinge and complain whenever they are at work. And the funny thing is most never do anything about it.  Instead without any care or consideration for their fellow workers, they sap the energy from those around them with their constant negativity.

Unfortunately negativity breeds more negativity and makes everyone around then feel even more tired than what you may already be feeling.

I’m sure you would agree that working shift work is tough. Really tough, but if the bad outweighs the good then maybe it’s time for a change.  Ask yourself. Am I really happy at work? If not what will it take to finally give me the courage to quit and find something else to do? Here are some ideas to ponder.

* Will it be an altercation with a customer or a colleague?
* Will it be because you’re sick and tired of getting up in the middle of the night to go into work?
* Will it be a sudden decline in your health?
* Will it be because you desperately want to follow your passion and do something that you enjoy?

Whatever it is, write it down. Keep it in your pocket and look at it every day, because whatever you focus on will eventually become a reality.

Let me explain what I mean by this.  After 21 years in the aviation industry – all working shift work, I decided it was time for a change so when an offer of voluntary redundancy popped up in my workplace, I decided to take the plunge and put up my hand not knowing if I was going to be successful or not.

I then focused and focused on making this dream become a reality.  I wrote down the following paragraph on a card and carried it with me for months.

“I’m so happy and thankful for receiving a redundancy from Qantas, with my last shift being on the 28th of October 2014”.

9 months later I was given my redundancy.

My last shift was on the 28th of October 2014.

So as bestselling author Brian Tracy once famously quoted:  “Whatever you believe with feeling, becomes your reality.”

So don’t reside yourself to a life of total shift work dissatisfaction. If the bad really outweighs the good, then find a way to bring change into your life – start learning new skills, join workshops, network with other people.  The options are endless.  Remember you only get one life, and once chance to do something with it so you may as well go out and do it.

Shift Work Career – Are Your Limiting Beliefs Holding You Back?

As you get up and go into work every day do you ever feel like you’re trundling through life on a treadmill? Do you feel like your shift work career has reached a bit of a standstill?

If so, then welcome to the ‘Frustrated Shift Workers Club’.

You see for many employees who have stayed in their shift working job for a number of years, this feeling of “going through the motions” is particularly evident.

And the problem with staying in a job for a considerable length of time is you begin to feel “comfortable” and the idea of changing jobs to further your shift work career can feel a little overwhelming.

Actually I’m going to rephrase this and say extremely overwhelming.

If fact many of us lose confidence in our ability to go on and do something different.

This lack of confidence stems from negative thoughts going through our head which can sometimes lead to placing imaginary ceilings or restrictions on ourselves – whether it be in our job, if we’re wanting to lose weight or in the amount of income we are earning.

These restrictions or limitations are called our limiting beliefs.

So if you don’t believe you are good enough to go on and do something else then that’s exactly what’s going to happen. You will stay put in a job or a shift work career you no longer enjoy.

You basically resign yourself to thinking … “well this is how’s it’s going to be.”

Yet one of the greatest threats in life is our comfort zone.

You have to learn to have the courage to step out of it. Learn something new so that you can grow and prosper! Don’t get stuck in the status quo.

So even though you may feel this is not possible right now – you really do have a choice.

It’s a decision.

You can make the decision to improve your shift working career (or even quit shift work altogether and do something completely different) – or you can stay where you are and spend the rest of your life feeling miserable and blaming others for your unhappiness.

But this is not living – it’s just ‘existing.’

Even though you may have certain responsibilities and financial commitments in your life right now, you can always start by taking small steps. Enquire about signing up for a course part-time or do some volunteer work to learn new skills.

If you really want your circumstances to change you will find a way.

So if you’re feeling frustrated in your current shift work career, you have to be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and take a few risks. Don’t let your limiting beliefs hold you back because in essence that’s all they really are – a belief.

Start believing you can do anything you want – change your attitude and your way of thinking and then watch your career (and your life) take a massive leap forward in the direction you’ve always wanted.

Unhappy In Your Shift Work Job? Why Becoming A Volunteer Can Actually Help Improve Your Career!

If you’re not happy in your current shift work job then you’re definitely going to want to read this. Why? Because becoming a volunteer not only can improve your health, but it can also help enhance your career as well!

Recent studies show that people who volunteer live longer, have stronger immune systems, have fewer heart attacks, have higher self-esteem, and have a deeper sense of meaning and purpose than those who don’t volunteer.

This same research has also revealed that people who volunteer when they’re young, are more likely to end up in more prestigious and higher-paying jobs than those who don’t do any volunteer work.

It basically comes down to making yourself more valuable to an employer. Have you ever asked yourself this question? “If I was an employer, would I hire someone like myself?”

If not, then now might be time to start making some changes.

So if you’re in a bit of a rut in your current shift work job, then you might want to start doing some volunteer work for one of your favourite charities or non-profit organisation. Many employers report that when they are interviewing candidates for hire, they now look to see if the candidates have engaged in volunteer work.

So volunteering your time could well have a positive payoff not only in your health, but it might actually help land you a future job as well!

And for us shift workers who struggle with having some kind of regular social life, there is even more good news because volunteering lets you meet all kinds of people you would never meet otherwise.

So if you’re looking for ways to improve your health and your shift work job, then becoming a volunteer might be a good place to start!