Work Matters: Personal development - Giving your best

Festive occasions are often the times when we all seem to have a little bit more fun at work, especially if we work with children. Working together to plan a party, or put on a performance, adds a sense of enjoyment and pleasure to being collectively involved in celebration activities. But how can we extend that pleasure and enjoyment to every day?

Enjoying your work is a key factor in maintaining the motivation for career satisfaction, progression and achievement. A personal commitment to giving the best of yourself increases the flow of positive energy, and with it more positive experiences and opportunities.

When was the last time you got so pleasurably absorbed in your work that time seemed to fly by and you felt a complete sense of satisfaction at putting in a good days effort?

Take a lesson from the children. They like the doing as much, if not more, than the end results, when they can direct their full attention to the task in hand.

Just as at times of celebration, spending time considering why you do what you do will help you value your work more. Think about the purpose and the positive difference you personally can make to children and colleagues.

When work is enjoyable
Most of us find enjoyment in activities such as:
- Challenges and problem solving
- Working as a team with others
- Being given personal responsibility and new opportunities
- Celebrating work well done
- Rewards for personal/team achievement
- Creating new ideas and approaches.
FUN WITH COLLEAGUES
Dedicating time to relax and participate collaboratively with colleagues
will help you find a balance between the social and task-driven aspects
of your working relationships. You will find out more about each other,
helping you:
- Relax and open up
- Improve team communication
- Relieve stress
- Learn more because you are enjoying it
- Provide supportive feedback
- Be inspired
CAREER TIPS
Enjoying your work will enable you to:
- Be receptive to good practice and role models
- Recognise successful efforts by anyone
- Take measured risks
- Approach challenges with confidence
- Be open to the development of new skills
- Be receptive to constructive feedback rather than see it as criticism.

- Tina Jefferies provides team building, management and leadership development workshops for the Red Space Company. Visit www.redspacecompany.com