Whether you’re are gainfully employed, looking to make a change in your career, or in job transition, it pays to know what you don’t like doing. It you are just starting you’re career, keep this idea in mind for the future.
Account
Take a few minutes and reflect on what you do day-to-day. What does a typical workday look like for you? Write down the tasks that make up your day. Note results that you contribute to. Now how you feel about the task and the result.
For example, when I supervise people I typically schedule one-on-one meetings with them periodically. We talk through wins, challenges, and progress towards goals. A result is that I see them develop both personally and professionally in a way they are comfortable and confident with. I feel good when I come alongside someone and help them explore their potential.
When I was a project manager, one of my tasks was to keep the project plan up to date. This involved updating the time each team member spent on each task, figuring out how to adjust for changes in requirements, team member assignments, priorities, etc. In this particular role changes happened frequently, so I needed to update the plan often. The result was being able to report out metrics on the project. I felt bogged down. It was a chore.
What tasks do you do now? What tasks have you done in previous roles? What are the results of your actions on those tasks? How do you feel about doing those tasks? If you are just starting your career you will need to give your role a little runtime before you have enough data to reflect on. If you are established in your career, however, this is a worthwhile exercise to do from time to time.
Analyze
What on your list do you love to do? These are the things that you want to do more of, either in your current role or a future one. Which on your list are the opposite? These might be tasks that end up at the bottom of your to-do list regularly, or the thought of doing the task gives you a sinking feeling. Is there a way you can do less if these in your current role? Is there a way for you to avoid these in a future role?
Act
Ask yourself if you need to make a change. If you are looking for a job, that change may be to emphasize what you like doing and de-emphasize what you don’t like doing in your communication about what you want to do.
If you are employed, is there away you can do more of what you love doing by automating or delegating the items you like less?
engineer your life
Schedule a few minutes for yourself to create an account of what tasks you do, what results these actions lead to, and how you feel about the tasks.
Analyze by asking yourself what change you may need to be happier and more satisfied with the work you do.
Act and make the change necessary to do less of what you don’t want to do!