Dream up your dream job (Part 1 of 2)

We spend at least eight hours per day working, some of us much more. We have every reason to want to enjoy the time. This and the following exercises will help you choose the best job for you, as long as you know the kinds of things you like to do. One caveat: If you're young enough that you haven't had a lot of work experience, you may not know enough about yourself or the work world to gain a great deal. However, you may have enough imagination to make it work anyway. Keeping that in mind, give it a shot. You'll need a notebook or journal in which you can write quite a bit. If you think better keyboarding, go ahead and use your computer, but know that neurolinguistic research suggests the human connection between the subconscious and handwriting is greater than that of keyboarding. Get comfortable Relax for about five minutes. Close your eyes and empty your mind of any annoyances or to-do lists. Just let your mind rest. If you have trouble quieting your mind, pay attention to your breathing, saying in your mind "Breathing in," when you inhale and "Breathing out," when you exhale. Typically, that will keep your mind busy enough to let it rest from its thinking duties. The following lists are seeds and suggestions. Some are repetitious, but one way of saying something may spark an idea, where another won't, or maybe there are two ideas that need to be written. Answer all of them in as much detail as possible. If you get stuck, close your eyes and rest a bit. Feel grateful for being able to do work you love so much. Pay attention to what flashes into your mind. Write it down, even if it doesn't seem to fit or make sense. Who you are * Who are you at work? * Do you have a title? * Do you lead or follow? * Do you work alone? * With people? * How many other people? * Are they doing the same things you are? * What do you wear to work? * What do people call you? * Do you work for yourself? * Do you work for someone else? What you do * What activities do you do during the day? * Are they largely thinking activities or working with your hands? * Do you stand, sit, walk or a combination of physical postures and activities? * Do you work with specific equipment? * What does it look like? * Do you talk a lot? * Do you talk with people in person? * Do you talk with people on the phone? * Do you communicate other ways? * Do you listen a lot? * In person? * On the phone? * Do you solve problems? * What kind? * Do you do the same thing for much of the day? * Do your activities vary from hour to hour? * From day to day? * Is your work done at the end of the day? * If it continues, when? * If it does not continue, do you do the same type of work tomorrow? * Do you make something? What? * Do you help with something? What? Location * Where do you work? * In what part of the country? * In what size community? * In what size company? * Inside or outdoors? * Do you commute? * How far and how often? * Do you travel? * How far and how often? * In an office? * In a vehicle? * At home? * In other people's offices or homes? * What does your work space look like? * What colors and textures are present? * Describe the light. * How does it smell? * What do you hear? * What is the temperature? Time * When do you get up? * When do you start working? * When do you take breaks? * When do you eat? * When do you change activities? * Does someone tell you when to do something or do you decide for yourself? * When do you stop working? * When do you take a day off? * When do you take a vacation? * How many vacations do you take per year? * How long do you want to do this job? Purpose * Why do you do your work? * What is important to you about what you do? * What is important to other people? * What gives you a sense of accomplishment? * What are you proud of? * What makes you feel good about your work? * What is the advantage of this type of work? * What is exciting about your work? * What is the payoff? * What is the reward? * Are you making money? * Enough money? * What makes you good at your work? * What makes you like it so much? The downside * What don't you like about your work? * What isn't present that is important to you? * What is the disadvantage of this type of work? * Is it dangerous? * Will this type of work be needed next year? * In five years? Ten? Twenty? * How could it change? In Part 2 - A whole new day!