{"id":8242,"date":"2020-12-22T08:50:57","date_gmt":"2020-12-22T08:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/careers\/?p=8242"},"modified":"2020-12-22T08:50:58","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T08:50:58","slug":"love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/careers\/love\/","title":{"rendered":"LOVE."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019re in the countdown to Christmas. The advent calendars are being opened, and and we\u2019ve got four reflective blogs for you, using four words associated with this season, but applying them to the workplace. We hope they\u2019re an encouragement to you, and give you something to ponder. Enjoy\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

In this final crescendo, we look at love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not about to tell you that you have to love your work or love your colleagues\u2026 well not in a romantic way anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with you. Love for you can look like self-respect, and boundaries in your working. Love for you can look like giving everything your best shot so that you know you did your best. Love for you can look like working hard to achieve something amazing, and also look like looking after yourself and taking a day off when you\u2019re unwell. Loving yourself is about being kind to yourself, and not about being your own worst critic or beating yourself up. Loving yourself is about being fair to yourself, and treating yourself like you would a good friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s move on to others. Your close colleagues\/ team. Let\u2019s remember that in normal times (pre-covid when you worked in the office) you spend more waking time with them than your family, or any close loved ones. Let\u2019s remember that even if you do\/ are working from home, your concentration is probably still on them more, and you\u2019re probably even taking your thoughts more easily beyond the boundaried hours of work as the separation between spaces is harder to maintain. If you can love these people, for goodness sake love them. Your experience of work will be more enjoyable, and theirs will be too. Seek out the lovable things in each of them \u2013 what they\u2019re passionate about, what motivates them and what matters too them. Humans are not \u2018assets\u2019 or \u2018resources\u2019, they\u2019re people, with lives and loves. Take a genuine interest. Who are the people you connect with?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joy is love rejoicing<\/p>

Peace is love at rest<\/p>

Patience is love waiting<\/p>

Kindness is love interacting<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easier to find work you love when it aligns to your values. When you seek out a new role, look into the company ethos, ask about the culture, and at interview make sure that their goals are something you can jump on board with. What are your strongest values? How are your values aligned in your workplace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Positive impact always makes a difference too. If you know the work you\u2019re completing is helping someone somewhere, or making a positive impact, it can encourage and motivate you to love your work. What positive impact are you making\/ do you want to make?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The absence of loving your work can be demoralising and exhausting. It can be disappointing, frustrating and hard. If you\u2019re not loving your work, have you considered a mentor? A mentor may be able to help you reflect on the areas you can grow to love, or how to move into a position that you might love more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I guess the aim is that we all work in a job we love. But the hard news is, to get there, we may have to work in some jobs we don\u2019t love. And that\u2019s ok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A physician once said ‘the best medicine for humans is love’. <\/p>

Someone asked, ‘what if it doesn’t work?’<\/p>

He smiled, and said ‘Increase the dose’.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in a situation of working that you\u2019re not loving, here\u2019s a few practical tips to help you find some love in it whilst you\u2019re in that place:<\/p>\n\n\n\n