If you think about it, in an average week, most of us will spend at least 8 hours every day engaged in work activities, and probably close to two hours getting there and back home. For the majority, that represents an investment of at least 50 hours of our most vibrant, energy intense waking hours. And you likely spend additional time outside of your "job" that can also be counted as work. How is that investment of time and energy paying off for you?
If it is going well, congrats! If, however, you find yourself struggling to hold on to what seems like an investment that is not paying off, it may be time to consider taking an architecting approach to what you do, and begin building the work you want, rather than merely engaging in a job that pays for your time.
I know, I know...you have bills, you have responsibilities, you have a cat who only likes fresh salmon. All true (although even the most finicky cat will eventually eat what you put in front of them, so you can cut back on the salmon), but no reason you can't make a change and begin to take steps toward a major work redesign.
So what can you do? It is not all about changing your job...in reality, it is about changing some aspects of your life...and then building the right kind of work. Interested? Consider the following:
- Get your debt under control. If you really want to be in a position to architect your work and career, you have to start by gaining control of your life, and don't kid yourself, when you owe someone else money, they control your life. Think about it. Are there expenses you have that are related to debt that keep you feeling trapped in work that you don't like? For many people this includes things like a car payment, credit card debt, and outstanding loans. Start with the smallest debt and pay it off. Take the money you used to pay toward that debt, and tackle the next smallest debt. Repeat this process and you will be surprised how quickly the red turns to black. Cut back your expenses and focus that money toward paying off debt and you will quickly see major changes. Your goal is simple, but all too often ignored. Live on less than you earn. Once you have that reality working for you, you are well positioned to architect new work options.
- Build a network. This is key to successfully growing your options, and your ideas. Get formal about it. Start a system that will allow you to keep track of contact information, and make contacts with people that are in your network. Make it a point to expand your network actively. There are great networking options available online, but don't limit yourself to virtual connections. Get out into your community. Meet people. Get involved in things you feel strongly about. Do things you enjoy. Be genuine. As you do this, you will get to know people share a passion with you, and your network will expand. Don't make the common mistake of thinking about network connections as "people who can help you find a new job". That approach doesn't work, and you miss some wonderful connections. Remember, every person is connected to other people. Typically it is the people that you have a sincere connection to that are the most helpful to you in networking, regardless of their jobs or positions.
- Explore areas of interest. You don't have to just jump right in. You can test the waters a bit and that starts with a little exploration. Think you want to open a bed and breakfast? Start by exploring the reality, and a vacation at a B&B doesn't really count, although it is a start. How do you learn more? Begin on your vacation and add to your network, talk to the owners, ask for introductions to other people who are living your dream. Get their insight and add it to your thinking. Consider volunteering in an area you think you might like to grow your options. Volunteering may give you experience while letting you try something new without the committment of starting a new job. Think you might want to work in technology but don't have a lot of experience? Many schools and churches can use help in this area, and you can learn along the way. Have some flexibility in your time due to retirement or job loss? Internships can be a great opportunity to learn and grow. The hiring manager may be surprised to get someone over 20 in the door, but if they are smart, they may well jump at the chance to bring in more experience at a low price. In short, take some of the time you are not investing in work...and start to explore what is of interest to you.
- Begin a written plan. This is important. If you don't write it down, you don't have a plan. So get started. The first plan does not have to be great, it just has to be written down somewhere. Begin with a goal. Where do you want to be? Once you have that, think about where you are today. Write that down. Now you have a starting point and a destination. Now plan out the steps from A to B. Easy? Not exactly, but you can do this. A good way to think about what the steps to your goal will look like is to consider what MUST happen in order to reach your goal, in a way that works for you. These are your imperatives and they will help you to clarify the boundaries for your steps. For example, for a person who has dependent children, an imperative might be, "I must have health and life insurance to protect my children". If you really love living in a rural area, an imperative for you might be, "I must be able to work remotely". As you work through your imperatives, the path toward your goal will become more defined and you will be able to chart your steps more accurately. Don't worry that the path won't appear to be very direct (it usually will not be), some of the most interesting things you are going to experience will be off the beaten path.
That should give you plenty to get started! And don't wait. Just start. You will be amazed at where you end up going.
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step— Lao-tsu c. 604-c.531 BC
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