Are you out of step with your work? Are you no longer motivated by your missions? This may be the time to question yourself in order to find a fulfilling professional life. Here are the keys to effective professional questioning.
Do you no longer feel fulfilled at work? Your missions no longer motivate you? It may be time to question yourself. This process, while difficult to implement, is one of the keys to finding meaning in your professional life. When to do it? What are the right questions to ask? What are the benefits? And the obstacles?
When should you question yourself at work?
“I propose as a method of monitor what I call “the Tides”. I make sure to check these indicators because each can be a source of questioning“defends Noémie Le Menn, occupational psychologist. Here they are:
► motivations : If you are no longer motivated by your work, you should ask yourself questions. “What really motivates us, we do it because it makes us “vibrate”, give us the feeling of being in our place. Some people are motivated by learningothers by the need to control, to have relational contacts, to to feel useful, to participate in the manufacture of concrete products, to dig into the subjects to cultivate one’s expertiseto direct operations… The motivations are different from one person to another and for the same person, they can change with age“says our expert.
► ambitions : What are your professional ambitions? In 10 years, what position do you see yourself in? “A professional career is built post by post. By knowing where you want to get to, you are better able to get there. We do not necessarily arrive in a straight line at our objective, however, the fact ofhaving a road map promotes the power of action on your career“defends the psychologist.
► Relationships : What is the state of your professional relations? “THE persistent bad relationships at work are polluting and indicate that there is a problem: we will have to act to change something” admits the specialist.
► emotions : What feelings do you have at work? “If the fear, shame, guilt, anxiety, anger and boredom are the dominant emotions of your professional daily life, it is necessary to question yourself because these emotions are corrosive. They indicate that something needs to be changed to regain pride, the pleasure of working, serenity, psychological security, confidence (in oneself, others and the future)” develops the psychologist.
► Ratings : “THE evaluation interviews and individual assessments are valuable indications. What are you sending back? What are your areas of progress? If the manager identifies numerous shortcomings, this may lead to a questioning.“ underlines Noémie Le Menn.
► Feelings : If you experience the feelings described below, it is time to begin a process of questioning to get out of a process that is becoming vicious:
- loss of self-esteem (feeling of inferiority or self-loathing, worthlessness)
- loss of confidence (in oneself, in one’s professional environment)
- insecurity (withdrawal, rumination, isolation)
- exhaustion (burn out)
- inconsistency (between words and deeds, repetition of mistakes)
What questions should you ask to challenge yourself at work?
Take the time to think about what really motivates you in your work by asking yourself the right questions:
- Am I motivated by and for my work? Does my work correspond to my motivations?
- What makes me want to get up in the morning? What would I do if I didn’t need to earn money?
- Am I satisfied and fulfilled in my current job?
- Am I aligned with my values in my professional life?
- do i feel balanced between my personal life and my professional life?
- Are my professional goals still relevant to me?
- Do I feel the need to explore new opportunities?
“Carry out a skills assessment can help to define their ambition for a professional project by defining their motivations” suggests the psychologist. “It may be useful to be accompanied in his reflection to broaden his thought patterns by a work psychologist, an APEC career counselor” adds Noémie Le Menn.
What are the benefits of challenging yourself at work?
“Questioning at work invites a taking charge of your professional life by regaining his power to decide and act. Questioning allows getting out of unfulfilling situations to register elsewhere and make a new start for a better life. It is a process of progress with a view to a better development“underlines our interlocutor.
What are the barriers to self-questioning at work?
► Obstacles can be intrinsic : “THE discouragement comes quickly when you are losing self-confidence. Conversely, one can risk looking for unrealistic or saturated projects. It is essential to make a business plan before launching, in order to see if the project is viable.” encourages the psychologist.
► Obstacles can be exterior : “The employer who wants to keep you in a position that does not suit you or/and who has no other positions to offer you” cites Noémie Le Menn as an example.
Thanks to Noémie Le Menn, occupational psychologist.