5 Ways to Overcome the Daily Grind and Stay Passionate About Your Work

You’ve heard the Confucius saying, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Even if you’re 100 percent passionate about your chosen employment, there are some times when you get stuck in the daily grind.

Maybe you’re a one-person show trying to have it all and do it all, or you’re part of a larger workforce and monotony is starting to set in. Don’t despair; you can overcome the daily grind and achieve a better work-life balance with these five tips.

1. Be Obsessed

That’s right, obsessed! The definition of obsession reads “the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.” This could also be the meaning of success.

One of the top ten biggest challenges for small business owners is staying passionate. “It is crucial more than ever to be obsessed with what you’re doing. Otherwise, the quality of your product/service suffers. When you’re obsessed, working a 14-hour day isn’t a big hassle. Without obsession, work becomes another mindless grindstone to put your nose to,” says Jeff Charles, founder of Artisan Owl Media.

2. Take Control of Your Time

Meetings, deadlines, and endless to-do lists: if you’re not able to manage your calendar, it will start to conquer you. Setting clear guidelines and learning what distracts you will help you to make the most of your time at work. David Rock, author of Your Brain at Work says, “every decision we make tires the brain.” Check off the tasks that require creativity or concentration first thing in the morning and then move on to easier work, like deleting emails or scheduling meetings later in the day.

Another way to make sure you’re using your time to the fullest is making a to-do list each night before you go to bed. “When you think about tomorrow the night before, you’re better prepared to accomplish things after you wake up,” suggests leadership expert and author John C. Maxwell.

3. Take a Break

The old saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder” can actually be applied to the relationship you have with your job. Research shows that it’s actually beneficial to your health and productivity to go on vacation. Even the process of planning and the anticipation of taking time off has direct correlation to improving your happiness.

Clinical psychologist Francine Lederer observed, “most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation.” Vacations are known to act as motivation to be better at work and work harder at your job. Employees who take vacations report feeling more refreshed and creative after they’ve had the chance to disconnect from their daily work grind.

4. Renounce Perfection

Perfectionists really aren’t having a better time at work than anyone else. Psychologist Gordon Flett warns that current research suggest a strong link between perfectionism and depression. “It turns out, perfectionism isn’t actually about being perfect. It’s about experiencing an uncomfortable internal emphasis on perfection, and it has negative consequences, both personally and professionally.”

It’s better to learn from your mistakes and move forward. Focus on doing your best rather than worrying over outcomes that may never be good enough.

5. Celebrate

Don’t just get caught up in achieving your goals, stop for a moment from the daily grind to focus on your successes and celebrate your accomplishments. You may even pause to be grateful for the mistakes that help you learn valuable lessons and that create opportunities for growth.