3 Essential Strategies to Deal With Meaningless Work

Do you feel disconnected from the work you do every day at your job?

Do you feel uninspired by your company's purpose and mission?

I hear these complaints frequently from young professionals like you, who work in the corporate world and want to do more than just their jobs. You want to contribute to something bigger than yourself and see how your contribution affects the bigger picture.  

If you feel this way, you are not alone. According to LinkedIn's Workplace Culture report, 86% of millennials said they’d consider taking a pay cut to work at a company whose mission and values align with their own.

Suppose you can’t see how your contribution affects the bigger picture or become disconnected from the company's purpose. In that case, you’re most likely unhappy at work and thinking about quitting or finding a new job. 

Before you job-hop to another company, I suggest doing some inward exploration to avoid a similar situation. 

Start by reflecting on your impact: 

• What product or service does your company offer?
• Does it resonate with you?
• How does your work impact your team, customers, and the broader community?

Having answered these questions, do you feel more connected or disconnected from your work?

If you feel disconnected from your work and the company's mission, step back and tune into the bigger picture.

What's the bigger picture, and why is it important?

Seeing the bigger picture means considering how your actions can affect a project or company's success rather than focusing on minor details. 

Picture yourself standing at the bottom of a mountain, and you’ve got to find a way to the top, but the woods are so thick you can’t see a path forward. On the other hand, your boss is in a helicopter above and has a 360 view. They can see the different paths leading to the top and guide you upwards in many ways. 

You might be so lost in details it's hard to see things from a higher perspective. If you don’t know, ask your boss or manager. They have insights to share, and most would be happy to share that information because they know it'll give you more insight, perspective, and purpose while meeting your daily, weekly, and monthly goals and deadlines.

Do your company's values align with yours?

Do you know your company's mission statement and values? Most young professionals I speak with don’t know or haven’t stopped to think about them. Look on your company’s website to find them. 

Then, check in with your values. Knowing your values makes it blatantly clear why you feel the way you do about your work. Likewise, linking your values to the company's mission illuminates why you feel unmotivated. 

It's an a-ha moment, and the light turns on. Once there is clarity, you can start taking actions that align with your values to create more harmony in your work, at least for now. 

Aligning your values with your work can create more harmony, even in an imperfect situation.

When I landed my dream job as a music merchandising manager, I later learned that the company was using some shady marketing acquisition tactics. 

The company's mission was to “empower mobile lifestyles by delivering personalized content on the fly". I justified my role because our team was responsible for increasing retention and reducing churn by making our existing customers happy by offering more value.

Even though I knew about the acquisition side of things, my job was to make people happy and satisfied to continue our monthly subscription service and develop marketing strategies to meet that goal. In addition, I saw my job as helping up-and-coming artists gain more exposure and helping our customers discover new music, which made them feel like “trendsetters”. 

Research Mission-Driven Companies

76% percent of young professionals consider a company’s social and environmental commitments before deciding where to work. It's a clever tactic and ensures that you are behind the mission.

Do some research and find five companies that make an impactful and meaningful impact on you, and ask yourself: 

What differences do I find between my company and my dream employers? 

Are you making the impact you want using your favorite skills, talents, and experience?

Take Action!

If, after these steps, you still feel misaligned, it's time for a change. Utilize your list of dream companies to research open positions and network with employees. Informational interviews can be a great way to learn more.

Let’s get the ball rolling! Remember, you deserve fulfilling work. Take these steps to find meaning in your current role or pave the way for a more fulfilling future!

P.S. There's more to explore! 

1. Watch a free Masterclass: Clarify the fastest path to land a more fulfilling and purposeful career & beyond. Identify any limiting beliefs and self-sabotage patterns so that you start creating an inspiring vision of your future dream career. Learn how to implement the 4-step game plan our clients are using to develop a career that they look forward to every day a solid plan to achieve. Watch it.
2.  Download my “Purpose Driven Career Quiz” workbook: If you're struggling to figure out what you want to do next career-wise, then download my new workbook "Purpose Driven Career Quiz" to see just how far (or how close!) you are to landing a purpose-driven career! Download it.
3.  Join our FREE Purpose-Driven Careers Facebook Group and connect with other driven professionals learning how to make an impact, earn the income, and create the freedom they desire in their life and career. Join us.
4.  Work with me privately: If you’d like to work directly with me to build a career of your dreams... schedule your complimentary Career Strategy Breakthrough Call with me so we can clarify your fastest path to finding and landing your dream role and create a strategy for you to make it happen... Apply for your FREE call with me here. Book it.