Engagement, Ennui
Here we have a nice piece about engagement at work. It’s written from the perspective of a software engineer, but applies more broadly.
The author calls a common feeling of disengagement “feeling of blah”. The article’s URL names it “ennui”, and I don’t know why the author has decided to not use that wonderfully apt word in the article itself at all. (See here for a more detailed treatment of the term.)
The recommendations are simple. In a nutshell, they involve consciously sparking creativity through curiosity, reminding oneself of the purpose of the work one’s doing, and regarding one’s career as a series of purposefully done steps. Anyone can do this, and it looks like a healthy exercise to put things in perspective.
I might add: if you feel that tinge of ennui, work with your manager. If you can’t see why and how what you’re doing makes any sense, your manager should be able to connect it to the why.
Also, if you’re feeling miserable at work (it happens to everyone occasionally), maybe ask yourself these questions (straight from Patrick Lencioni): Whose lives do I have an impact on? and How can I see or measure that impact? The answers could be surprising, and solid reminders about why things matter after all.
Tags: work