FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOUR JOB by Adekeye Ifedayo
Weeks ago, I was
at the cinemas with Enwanta and after a good movie session, I bid her farewell
and crossed to the other side for a tricycle ride back to Falolu,
halfway into
the trip, I observed that the driver who by the way is to my surprise neatly
dressed was in high spirits as he was
whistling, singing and occasionally trying to start conversations with his
customers. I asked myself " why is he so happy and jumpy, he is a driver
that makes an average 4000 Naira daily in a very hot weather"
As if the person
seating next to me heard my thoughts, he asked, "Oga, you don win lottery abi
kilonsele?" Defensively, the woman in front replied "Musa
is always like this o, that is why I love taking his napep.". Musa
who I am sure is already enjoying himself said " Oga, me just dey flex as
per say na me be the best driver for this joint, you no see as I dey scale
hold-up since ni?"
He spoke with so
much pride that it struck me that I have been to ivy towers companies/firms
where all jobs seems like the dream and I have not seen anyone so excited about
his/her job, so I decided to write this article that minute.
A Lot of the
Nigeria working class work either to earn a living, to play the responsible
card or because the community requires them to. I remember a colleague once
said to me, "I work because all elders are required to have a job, you have to
be responsible and all that shit" I was sad because obviously he
is not working for himself, but for the societal needs and requirements.
The bitter truth
is that you can't always get what you want, but how do you turn that which you
get/have into Gold? You don't have your dream job? And so what, I once met a
branch bank manager of one of the Ivy Tower banks in Nigeria and when I told
him I don't want a bank Job he said to me " Ife, I studied Agricultural
science in the university and I was job searching for three years when he could
not get into his field, I took up a job as a cashier and fast forward 15 years,
I am a top official and a bank Manager."
He further
explained to me how he hated every minute of his job which later grew up on him
after a few years and since then he got better at what he does. He also
stressed how he would not exchange his
job for any other in the world.
WHY DO
PEOPLE HATE THEIR JOB
People hate what
they do for countless reasons, a bullish and unsatisfying boss, a ridiculous
pay, frustrating hours, boredom, not their DREAMJOB, annoying colleagues,
manipulating internal politics play and many more.
Note this, you
cannot function well when all you do is complain and moan about what you do,
Musa became a self-proclaimed best tri-cyclist because he never complains, he
is always geared up and fired up for his work.
An
over-demanding boss can be the worst thing that can happen to any working
person (I am a witness) but look on the bright side, it is making you better at
what you do, once you stop seeing your boss as the devil, then you'd start
getting along with him/her.
HOW TO MAKE
A HOME AT WORK
I know some of
you are wondering, when is he going to tell us how to make our workplace a
home, well, we are here now.
- STOP COMPLAINING AND FALL IN LOVE WITH WHAT YOU DO
Way back in 2011 while I was working with a radio house, a colleague
will always moan on duty, going on and on about how he wants to be a musician
and not a radio presenter/On Air Personality, how he took the job just to pay
rent and all that. Guess what! He is still there in the radio station and still
moaning about how he wants to be a musician.
See, I understand how big, powerful and desirable your dreams are, but
just because you are not doing what you always have dreams of doing does not
make you a failure, see your present job as a footstep to your dreams, look at
the positives and stop complaining.
- WORK TO MAKE YOURSELF.
The mistake most of us make is that we work to make a
living, no, that is a wrong approach to work; you should work to make yourself.
To make you better, to make you closer to your dreams, to give you experience e.t.c,
attend seminars, read books about your field, ask questions, watch your
colleagues e.t.c. develop yourself and that will make you better at what you
do. When you are good at what you do, trust me, you will fall in-love with your
job.
- UNDERSTAND YOUR COLLEAGUES
This is a germane trick to happiness in the work-place; you can't be an
island so you need to learn how to tolerate others. Most organisations in
Nigeria have two or three staffs sharing the same office, that means you cannot
always do what you like, you have to be considerate and learn to accommodate
others to have a peaceful time at work.
- BE CAREFUL OF OFFICE POLITICS
Office politics is a common thing in Nigeria organisations, a group of
persons form an elite clique and with the backings of some top officials pulls
stunts and game change in the organisation. While there is another group which
is the non-elite group who plays the subject for the elite group. An important
factor to note is that you don't want any of these groups to not be on your
side, so you gotta be careful and play in the middle, you don't want your
colleagues hating you. You have to strike a balance between those two groups,
so you can enjoy your work more and heighten productivity.
All be careful of office gossip mongers, don't even bother listening
because sometimes listening gets you in trouble, once I get into a new
organization, I locate the gossipers and just create a strictly professional
relationship with them as soon as they start a petty talk, I excuse myself.
Speak well of all your colleagues. When you have a great relationship with all
of your colleagues, you will have a great time at work and you will keep loving
what you do.
- DO NOT LEAVE ANY WORK UNDONE
You hate your job so you procrastinate and pile up your tasks, you get
to work each day welcomed by a left-over task, so when you gotta do it, you have
to rush it, at the end you do a medicore work which gets you a stern warning
from your boss or a no recommendation for promotion. Make sure while leaving your
work place every day, you are done with the day’s job. The next day should
start afresh.
When I was an intern with Advocaat and Associates, I leave my work
station at 10pm if I have to because I believe no task should be carried over
to the next day.
Don’t you ever leave any task undone for the next day.
- RE-CREATE YOUR HOME IN THE OFFICE.
I once told a friend to bring the picture of her husband/son to her desk
in the office, get your favourite painting into your office room. Make your
work station a comfortable place for you. When I was with Unilorin FM, I will
change the OAP chair because I don't feel comfortable in the one there. You can
do that too, just try and make your work place comfortable for you and this
will help you fall in love with what you do.
- DRESS WELL.
A popular saying says "The way you are dressed is how you are
addressed"
Nothing heaps confidence than when well-dressed and presentable. Even
when your work-place got a uniform, make sure your uniform is to your size,
ironed, neat and to your size. This helps in how you are addressed and
respected by your customers and even your colleagues, it also boost your
confidence which will make you more comfortable with what you do hence
productivity enhanced and you will love your job. In my story, Musa was dressed
in a clean Jean and a T-Shirt, I'd bet that is one of the confidence booster
for him.
- MAKE YOUR WORK A PART OF YOU
I am a legal practitioner and in whatever I do, I see law, I try to
relate law to everything around me, I try to pull the legal perspective on
every issue in front of me.
While at the radio house, I practice my on-air accent with my roommates,
I joke around with my On Air signature, I read newspapers, I listen to other
presenters and all that. You have to make your work part of you, attend
seminars, read books and learn more about what you do. It is important and
germane you do.
My Father will
always say “If life throws a stone at you, pick it up and make a fireplace."
Life is not all bed of roses, so whatever you get from life, make the best of
it and turn it to your own advantage.
When you love
what you do, productivity is enhance and then you get better and better at it then
you start owning your field and Jackpot, you are indispensable.
For questions,
please send me a mail at ifedayoadekeye@gmail.com
Thanks
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