I know that some people don’t like their jobs, but I wanted to shed some light on how the teachings at The Art Of Charm could make your daily grind a bit more fun.
When I was 21 years old, I moved to North Carolina and the only job I could get when I got there was on a housing crew as a framer. I don’t know if you guys know what that is, but basically what a framer does is he builds the skeleton of the house. I was twenty-one years old, maybe 140 lbs and had zero experience, but for whatever reason they hired me anyway. This was no work for a lightweight. This was a tough as nails, 9 hour a day laboring in the hot Carolina heat. I remember coming home everyday, bleeding and covered in saw dust. It was not my idea of fun.
The problem was, I needed to keep this job in order to stay in NC. If I got fired, I was going to have to move back to Greensburg PA where I spent all of my teenage years planning my escape. Going home was not an option. To me going home meant failure. I was determined to stay. I had to find away to make this job work to allow myself an opportunity to find employment in the music scene, which is why I moved there in the first place.
About a week in I realized I might be fired for being useless. I decided I needed find a way to keep this job. Since I did not know how to build a house, I wanted to learn how. I decided that this house would be an adult sized jungle gym. If there was a scary hanging from the rafter’s job that needed to be done then I was the man for it. I made it a challenge, I made it fun and most importantly, I turned it into a learning experience. When that mindset was put into place I started to get raises and promotions. I ended up doing that job for two years before my music career started. Today, if I needed to, I could build you a house. It might not look all that pretty, but it will never fall down.
I learned something back then that I will remember for the rest of my life. That is that I would always have 3 choices in life no matter what the situation. Change it, accept it or leave it. I decided to accept it and make the most of it. I went there everyday to learn and when I look back on it today it was fun. Hard, but fun.
Even at the office here at AoC, if I am having a hard time with a project I have a choice and so do you, no matter what the situation is. Here are a few other tips to help your days at work fun:
1. Use banter to lighten up the office. Nothing like a bit of banter to allow those around you to feel good in the moment. What you throw out will come back. Be sure to keep it light and quick. After all, you are supposed to be working.
2. Keep a positive outlook. Use your body to change your thinking and vice-versa. Put on a happy face and ride that smile to positive thinking. It will rub off on those around you.
3. Try to ignore those around you that are trying to bring you down. No one likes Downer Darrel so try to focus on the positive while you are there.
4. Find out how you can help those around you. Look at how your performance affects others around you. Is there something you could do to ease the pain of others around you? Be careful not to get taken advantage of.
5. Get engaged. If you are going to do anything, do it to your full potential. Why just do it for a paycheck? Do it because it’s an expression from you.
6. Quit. If you hate your job and cannot think of any redeeming quality that is worthy of you staying, why are you doing it? You can get a paycheck from a lot of places. Going in to a job you hate everyday is taking it’s toll on your life one day at a time, robbing you of any happiness.
One last thing, be honest and talk to your boss. Let him know that you care about your performance and that you want it to be the best it can be. This way he can help you reach your maximum potential. If he sees your gumption and positive attitude I can guarantee you he will do what is necessary to help you reach your goal. After all he is rated on your performance. Speak up!
