Try these tips for a real office romance
Office romance. Over the years, Nat (my content manager/staff writer) and I have worked in situations with co-workers who clandestinely began dating. It’s always fun to see how long they try to stay on the downlow when everyone already knows. Every once in awhile, Bill and Emily really do fall in love, get married, have twins and move to the suburbs. My wife Deb and I fit that criteria.
What about the other kind of office romance? Do you really love your job?
It doesn’t always work out like the movies–boy meets job, boy sees job every day, having fun, making meaningful impact and then he commits to the job. It’s not always teddy bears and roses, but he really loves it.
Yet you really can still love your job. As Stephen Stills advised, sometimes it’s best to love the one you’re with.
So, how can you fall in love with your job this Valentine’s season?
You’ll find it’s not so dissimilar to rekindling the flame with your spouse/partner:
- Remember why you fell in love in the first place.
It’s the classic advice any couple gets when they go through a rough patch. Go on romantic dates and recapture the spark that set you on the path to true love.
In the case of your work, think back to when you began at the company or transferred into your current role. Remind yourself why you wanted to take the position. Re-read the company’s vision and values statement, and picture how you are a part of it. You have a reason you are there–you need to remember why.
- Remember to say thank you.
Both partners in a relationship can start to feel unappreciated after a while. He always makes the morning coffee, and after a while, you don’t always say thank you. Maybe you don’t even notice. Start showing gratitude again.
Create a gratitude journal. What are you thankful for in your job? Flexibility? Challenge? Free yoga classes at lunch? Think of the big and the small reasons why it’s great to have your job.
- Remember to be kind.
Sometimes when you’re really comfortable with someone, or when you are under a lot of stress, niceties can go out the window. It’s about getting the errands done, the kids fed, the job done.
The same thing can happen at work. You forget that Kate from accounting is an actual person, and she becomes the person who reimburses your travel expenses or maybe she’s the person who always occupies the copier with CARDSTOCK and messes up the proposal you’re trying to print.
But remember to be kind. You can’t love your job if you don’t show love to the people you work with. You don’t have to write names in the sky; you just need to be kind.
- Remember to make each other happy.
Happiness is not the end goal–that’s contentment and fulfillment. But when is the last time you tried to make your partner happy?
Are you putting 100% into your job? Relationships are hard work. Your relationship with your job is, too–after all, they call it work! Give work your best and it will give you the best, too.
- Remember to prioritize what matters most.
The longer you are in a relationship, the responsibilities and the tasks can grow. If you don’t focus on what matters, you could end up falling short of all of your goals and falling out of love altogether.
(To jump start your priorities list, check out my recent post.)
- Remember to invest in the future.
Plan ahead for that 20th anniversary trip to Italy. Dream about your future kids or pets. Learn a new sport or hobby so you can grow–together.
The same goes for your job. Look ahead to the next role you want, and prepare for it now. Learn a new system. Take a training course on a new software program. Find a mentor who can lead you on your journey. Invest in the future of your job to keep the love aflame.
Every day does not have to be a fairy tale–you can still have happily ever after. Like any relationship, your relationship to your job is worth the effort. Fall in love with your job, and you’ll feel the love right back.
This article was published by Scott Mautz and Natalie Hastings
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