We spend a large percentage of our lives at work. That means that it is important for the time you spend there to be personally fulfilling.
Unfortunately, many positions are tasked with large amounts of “busy work” – tedious, often mindless or repetitive actions that may feel as though:
- They require minimal expertise.
- They are a waste of your time and effort.
- They do not provide you with a sense of purpose.
Busy work that you find under-stimulating or insignificant can make it difficult to feel motivated or fulfilled by the work that you do. And because you spend so much time at work during the day, that your work life and your personal life may both suffer as a result.
How to See that Your Small Place Makes a Big Difference
Even if you do not believe that you are contributing, often you’ll find that if you pay close attention to the people around you and exude the right energy, your “busy work” has the potential to make a big difference.
Most big projects or initiatives involve many steps, some of which will noticeably propel the project forward to the next level and some of which may feel pointless. However, each and every step along the way is required to meet the end goal. Without your contributions, no matter how minor they seem, it would be impossible to reach the desired final result.
Paying Attention to Your Importance
If you find yourself feeling unimportant or bored, consider the bigger picture and consider how your specific role is impacting progress. It helps to focus not only on the activities you’re engaged in but on the potential you have to reach the greater goal.
Although this is predominantly aimed at finding value and purpose in the workplace, the truth is that this lesson can be brought into other domains of life, as well. For example, altruism (good deeds) – Many people find that they avoid the good deeds they desire to do because they don’t feel like their small acts have any impact on the issue they’re addressing, like homelessness or wealth inequality.
But those things you see as a minor contribution, someone else sees as addressing a major need, and, in fact, altruistic acts have been shown to produce therapeutic/rewarding benefits for the person completing the act. Therefore, it is actually in your best interest to determine how to start viewing the contributions you make as part of a larger system of meaning and success, rather than as an unfulfilling task you’re forced to complete.
