Without question, the business world has been changed and “business as usual” is no longer the case, and it may likely never be again. For those who are fortunate to still have gainful employment, the change in responsibilities has created a new focus on how work is performed. Those who are essential workers must guard their lives in a manner unlike anything they could have imagined. Those who made a transition from working in an office environment to becoming remote employees may now find themselves feeling a sense of performing in isolation.

One of the challenges for becoming a remote employee is the lack of interactions and camaraderie available in a physical office environment. This is an especially difficult learning curve for those who were used to working in an open office environment and had the sounds of activity ever present during the workday. Now at home, the only aspect of the job each day to focus upon is the required tasks. There are no diversions, unless there is some type of web meeting, conference call, or traditional call. Suddenly the day no longer involves “water cooler” talk or anything else interesting; it requires undivided attention to the task at hand.

This reminds me of the time when I made a transition 15 years ago from being a Manager of Training and Development in a corporate office environment, to teaching in an online classroom. There was a similar sense of feeling disconnected at first, from the employer and its employees, and not knowing how to fit in or engage with others. When I was in the virtual classroom, or attending faculty meetings, I began to develop a sense of belonging; and yet this took time to fully experience. The feeling of being an outsider when working as a virtual employee was very real and is for many who work in this manner as well.

I also experienced a learning curve with my ability to adapt to communicating by written words alone. As someone who spent the first half of his career speaking and presenting in person, this was a very new experience for me. It took some time and practice to be able to effectively convey my thoughts in an academic and professional manner through classroom posts and messages. Yet I found it was something I enjoyed, since I was first an online learner and had the initial experience of engaging with others in this environment. However, learning to adapt does not always result in the same outcome for everyone who has to switch to working virtually.

When the focus changes from working in an office to becoming a remote employee, it can highlight underlying feelings about dissatisfaction with the job. These are the negative feelings which may have been overlooked because of the enjoyment experienced interacting with coworkers and/or a supervisor, or any other positive reasons. Now that the focus is on the job alone, the negative feelings may be difficult to ignore. If this is the case for you, and you are finding it difficult to enjoy or tolerate your job, there are strategies you can use to bring some joy back as you adapt to a new normal. While it is possible a job change is the ultimate solution, at least for your well-being now you can find a means of coping with your job in a manner that allows you to feel a sense of calm.

Make Time for Introspection

If you experienced changes in how you perform your job duties, which for most meant leaving the office, the most important first step to take will be the need for introspection. More than remote jobs board likely you were put into a situation that occurred suddenly and with little time to prepare. This would have caused feelings within that you may or may not have yet acknowledged. It is time to go back to the moment when the changes began and reflect upon how you felt and what your reactions were when you had to switch where and how you work. This will help prepare you for the strategies to follow, as you consider your ongoing feelings and reactions to your job and your performance.

How to Find Joy in a Job You No Longer Enjoy or Simply Tolerate

You can begin to find joy again in your job, even if this means you resolve the initial reaction to the changes experienced and decide to find new employment. It is possible you will also see your job in a different light and be able to adapt to the new working conditions, leading to an improved sense of well-being overall.

Strategy #1: Reflection on How it Began

Looking back at the transition for your job and how it began, how did you feel? Were there any aspects of the transition that caused internal negativity? This is a time to reflect upon the initial time period without any sense of blaming yourself for the way you felt, just allowing yourself to accept the initial feelings. If there were no noticeable negative feelings, recognize that as well. Either way, take note of the beginning transition to prepare for the next set of strategies to follow.

Strategy #2: Separate Feelings from the Job

Now that you have developed a clear sense of the initial transition, and how you felt or reacted to it, this next strategy involves separating your feelings from the job. This involves making a determination of what actually caused you to become upset. Was it the job requirements that triggered the feelings? Or was it the nature of the change and the events surrounding it that created negative feelings? This is important as you want to determine if there is any sense of unhappiness still with the job, once you take away negative feelings that were created as a result of the circumstances which led to the initial transition.