Are you Satisfied with your life?

Why do you show up to work every single day?

Why do you perform the same tasks every day?

Are you happy?

Are you learning?

Are you adding value to the world?

….

This has become my mantra every single day waking up in the morning. This is how I make decisions on what I choose to do tomorrow. After the last few years, I have watched friends slave day after day doing tasks that they hate. They look in the mirror and despise themselves. They are NOT happy. They are NOT learning. More importantly, they do NOT believe that they’re adding value to the world.

Why do some people get excited to go to work while others loathe Monday mornings? Understandably, we all need to make a living but it seems as though some are enjoying the process more than others.

Fortunately, job satisfaction is dependent on a variety of factors, many of which are within your control. With a little effort, you can either find the job that is best suited to meet your individual needs or learn to find fulfillment in the one you already have.

What are some reasons people are dissatisfied with their job?

Job dissatisfaction refers to unhappy or negative feelings about work or the work environment. There exist many factors which may result in job dissatisfaction. Some of them are poor working conditions, overwork, low levels of pay, no scope of promotion or career advancement and lack of recognition.

But what is worst are the consequences of job dissatisfaction which obviously affect both the employees and the organization.

It may result in loss of motivation, lack of interest, frustration, poor productivity, absenteeism and even high turnover rates.

There are a number of specific causes for job dissatisfaction, but it is understood there are four main areas that reside in this issue.

Causes of Job Dissatisfaction are;

1. Underpaid.

2. Limited Career Growth.

3. Lack of Interest.

4. Poor Management.

5. Unsupportive Boss.

6. Lack of Meaningful Work.

7. Opportunities for growth or incentives for meaningful work.

8. Work and Life Balance.

The effects of low job satisfaction can be far-reaching and this issue is of concern for small business owners as well as large companies.

Underpaid

Not being paid what one is worth is called being underpaid.

If a person does not think they are being paid enough to do their job, then they perceive themselves to be underpaid. If they research the wages for that job and find they are indeed being underpaid, then their dissatisfaction is warranted.

From a company’s perspective, it is a valuable and important issue because individuals who are dissatisfied with the money they are making, for the job they do, will most likely leave the organization.

Limited Career Growth

Not having the opportunity to climb the ladder and grow the career is another area that can foster dissatisfaction with a position.

For this aspect, it is important to understand that not everyone wants to move up the ladder.

This could mean that the employee will potentially leave for another organization that might have better career growth opportunities.

Lack of Interest

This is a very straightforward concept; that one should not start his career with a job which is not an interested area of that person.

A lack of interest in the work is another reason why employees are unhappy. Most employees want to perform job duties that are engaging and challenging.

Monotonous work causes an employee to experience boredom. Bored-and unchallenged employees experience little incentive to concern themselves with workplace productivity.

Poor Management

The management team plays an important role in an organization. Managers are responsible for motivating employees, planning, organizing and controlling within the organization.

A key reason employee performs poorly in the workplace is poor management.

Managers with poor leadership skills tend to offer little feedback on employees’ performances. Not having the leadership required is another reason for dissatisfaction.

People want to be led.

They want to work with people who inspire them and have a vision.

Without those people, an employee can feel as if the company is just drifting through space, waiting to run into something.

Unsupportive Boss

With companies downsizing and keeping resources at a minimum, managers become more concerned about the bottom line rather than the very people who can have a direct effect on the bottom line.

Managers who disengage from their employees and focus only on results without providing inspiration, motivation or support are often unaware that they may be a major cause of job dissatisfaction.

Lack of Meaningful Work

The lack of meaningful work plays a big part in job dissatisfaction. Employees lose interest in work that offers no challenge.

Opportunities for growth or incentives for meaningful work

It’s easy to disengage from a job and organization that doesn’t value its employees or offer incentives for job growth.

When employees feel their contributions are significant, they feel happy at their work and work harder.

Work and Life Balance

Companies that fail to recognize the need for employees to maintain a healthy life and work balance are ultimately affecting their own productivity levels.

Even if a company can’t offer salary increases, one way to improve job satisfaction is to create trade-offs for life and work balance. Instead of offering raises, companies might consider incentives such as paid days off, flexible scheduling, and rewards such as tickets to movies, plays, or sporting events.

What is the point if you’re not happy?

Are you doing it for your family? If so, shouldn’t you raise your children or spouse how to live a meaningful life?

Are you doing it for your paycheck? If so, can you keep up with the daily grind day by day to make ends meat?

It’s always difficult for me to stomach this conversation with people that I admire and love. However, I think it’s a conversation that everyone needs to have as they age.

I saw a Japanese conceptual diagram for the “Reason for Being” and I fell in love with it.

It breaks things down;

1. What do you love?

2. Does the world need what you do?

3. Do you get paid well for what you do?

4. Are you doing tasks that you’re genuinely good at right now?

From that point, it helps navigate common ground;

1. Mission — an important assignment carried out for political, religious, or commercial purposes; a strongly felt aim, ambition, or calling.

2. Passion — a state or outburst of strong emotion; an intense desire or enthusiasm for something.

3. Profession — a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and formal qualification.

4. Vocation — a person’s employment or main occupation, especially regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication; a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation.

From there, it helps to understand how you feel in specific categories;

1. Satisfaction, but feeling of uselessness

2. Delight and fullness, but no wealth

3. Excitement and complacency, but sense of uncertainty

4. Comfortable but feeling of emptiness.

Now, if you can find something that combines all four, that’s when you reach what is consider Ikigai. A center balance of bliss. This is your sweet spot. This is and should be everyone’s goal in life.