One Simple Exercise to Reconnect With Your Work
Have you ever felt stuck in your career and assumed that the only path to happiness is to find a new job and maybe even change industries? I’ve definitely been there. What I’ve realized over the years is that sometimes this type of major change is the answer, but I’ve also learned that the answer may lie in identifying the parts of your job that bring you joy and exploring ways to do MORE of that type of work in your current role. Here is a simple exercise that has saved me many times in my career.
Look back at your work calendar for the last three months and highlight the meetings/conversations that bring a smile to your face. What are the aspects of those interactions that made you happy? Were they the topics you were discussing, the skills you were using, or the type of problem you were solving? Was it the individual or team you were meeting with?
When I had reached my 8th year at Time Inc. and was feeling stuck, I did this exercise and realized that the best part of my job - the part that I found the most enjoyable - was meeting with startup founders. I loved brainstorming ways that we could partner. I also loved being a sounding board for them on their business model, fundraising strategy, and product roadmap. I decided that I wanted to lean into this part of my job more. I worked with several of my peers to create a 10 Startups to Watch franchise (where we recognized startups across a variety of categories in an annual awards ceremony). We also developed an innovation lab at the company that I helped run. Through these types of initiatives, I found that I was able to reconnect with my work (and the company) in a powerful way.
I had the honor of being a guest on Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People podcast where we talked about the power of this simple exercise. Guy actually took the exercise to another level and we found ourselves brainstorming in the moment, which is always fun.
The episode (where you will be one of the first people on the planet to learn about the Guy and Fran Grid Effect!) is available here.
BOTTOM LINE: Sometimes the answer is to leave your job, but it’s worth checking in with yourself first. The answer may instead be to explore the parts of your job that bring you joy and ask for new opportunities – or create your own! – that will increase the amount of time you’re doing work that you love.
P.S. I first wrote about this exercise in my book Embrace the Work, Love Your Career, where you’ll find many more exercises to help you create a career that you love.
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