13 Ways To Make Your Job Feel Exciting Again

When you first start working for a company, it feels a lot like the beginning of a relationship — you and your company. You're shy around each other. There's a lot of excitement. You pay extra attention to what you wear and how you look. You just want to impress them and make them feel good about picking you. Then you enter the honeymoon phase. You're literally obsessed with each other. You want to come early and stay late. You don't want to talk about anything else. Whenever with you're with your friends, it's always "work this, work that" and "OMG, that reminds me of this thing that happened at work," you literally can't keep your hands off each other.

But then after a while, things start to normalize. You stop waking up early to put on mascara and if you don't have time to shower after the gym in the morning, you tell yourself it's no big deal — they already know how valuable you are. You get into the swing of things and slip into auto-pilot. You become less interested in gabbing about work, after hours. You have a sick day and realize you really needed the time away. And before long, you're looking forward to the weekends. You're hating Mondays. You're sleeping in. You're calling out. You wake up one day and think, "Crap, I hate my job."

But as with a relationship, it's not so easy to walk away from something you've invested in. Your job is a huge part of your life and leaving it is a big decision that can change the course of your future. Before you ditch your job and run off to Europe, take some time to really consider things. It's totally normal to fall out of love with your job, but it's also very common to find a way back into that love. These are 13 ways to rekindle those love vibes with your work life:

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Talk To People About Their Jobs

Talk to your friends about their jobs — understanding what other people's work lives are like might help you see yours differently. Every job has its drawbacks. Every job has pros and cons. Learn about your friends' jobs. Hell, ask strangers about their jobs. Get a broad sense of what the working experience is like for people your age before you make any big decisions.

Think About Why You Wanted To Get Hired

Think back to that time when you first fell in love with your job. What did you love about it? How did it make you feel? How far have those feelings fallen? Is there any way to remind yourself of how happy you were when you first got the gig? It's important to acknowledge the good times.

Confront The Major Issues

Think about what bothers you the most about your job. Do you have an issue with your co-workers? Because that might happen anywhere. Do you have a problem with the work-life balance? Is there something in the environment that's killing your vibe? Try your best to locate the source of trouble.

Consider How You've Grown

What are the positive things abut this job? How has it helped you grow as a professional? What have you learned? You might realize here that you've improved more than you thought. Maybe this job is more constructive than you previously thought.

Open Up To A Co-Worker

Is there someone you trust to confide in at your office? Talk to a co-worker about how you feel. Chances are, they've gone through the same love/hate cycle that you have. They might have some valuable advice that will save your experience.

Talk To Your Boss About How You're Doing

Sit down with your boss and talk to them about your performance. Maybe you've fallen out of love because you've fallen behind or maybe because you're far ahead. There might be an arrangement you can work out that will change your experience and make it more manageable.

Do Some Research On The Company

It's easy to lose sight of the company once you start working for it. Whatever magic it held while you were on the outside has most likely faded. Take some time to read up on the company and how it's doing and what other people think of it. This might lure you back in — that is, if you find very positive acknowledgments.

Get Some External Perspective

Take a day or two off to clear your head. Think about what you might do if you quit. Really consider what it will be like if you leave for good. Consider all that you'd be leaving behind. Meditate on this.

Let It All Out

Talk to a friend or family member outside of the office and let them know how you're feeling. Tell them every single thought you have pertaining to your work life. Don't leave anything out. There's a chance you just needed a good venting session.

Take On More

Talk to your manager about changing your duties a little bit. While you might think the last thing you want is more work, the addition of responsibility might help you feel more connected to your company.

Change Your Routine

Shake things up. Work out at night instead of the morning. Take yourself out to breakfast in the morning. Change your bedtime. Start dressing up again. Listen to uplifting music during your commute. Do whatever you can to change the way your outside life surrounds your work life.

Think About The Future

Remember the end goal. Does this job help you get there? Do you need this job? Is it helping you progress in your future plans more than you give it credit for?

Sage Your Soul

Before you get to a point where you're writing your notice, mediate, clean, and sage yourself. Give yourself a clean slate and go to work the following Monday with a fresh perspective. Wash away whatever negative feelings you had and give your office a fair chance to win back your heart.

Images: Giphy, HBO

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