If you’ve been at the shops recently, I’m sure you have been unable to ignore the sea of red paraphernalia strategically placed to remind you of that certain day in February some of us might not be so fond of. Yes, the Valentine’s Day fever is upon us and it got me thinking about the idea of romanticism but not the “lovey dovey” kind. Instead, how can we apply this philosophy when it comes to the daily grind of our jobs, something I’ve touched on before in a prior blog.

According to Wikipedia, the term Romanticism originated towards the latter part of the 18th century in Europe and was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement. Not much ado about chocolates, flowers, heart-shaped eye emoji’s, and mugs with phrases like “One in a Melon”. It came up on Google, you can go verify for yourself.

I stumbled upon this call to action to jumpstart and rejuvenate our every day while perusing YouTube, when I should have been sleeping of course, on one of these motivational videos titled “Romanticize Your Life”. It suggests that you tackle your day-to-day activity with renewed enthusiasm. You must believe your morning commute is “cute and fun” and that every cup of coffee is “the best you’ve ever had”. And, if done habitually, you start enjoying more of your existence. A simple example I can attest to, is that if you want to boost your water intake, invest in a bougie water bottle. Drinking water has never felt more stylish.

If you’re a die-hard romantic or in a partnership of some sorts, then you know, maintaining any relationship requires the utmost effort if you’re going to keep the flame alive. You cannot just send that WhatsApp or Telegram “I miss you” without an emoji to give it that extra oomph. So too, attaining that dream job won’t materialize if you only dream it. You need to constantly be preparing yourself for it. But while you wait for it to become a reality, you have a current job that still requires your best self and that means solving that problem or going through that lengthy document or database with a better “I got this” attitude. Of course, you are excused if there is absolutely no love left there to scrape together, but if you can find it within you, then start doing each duty with a little more zest.

This positivity in all you do, may just have a ripple effect, and allow you to not only get through your day more swiftly but closer to the job you will fall head over heels for or be YOUR one in a Melon😉

According to businessnewsdaily.com these are a few tips to “rekindle your relationship with your job” –

Start a passion project – You could be sitting with a wealth of experience in your field. Why not start a mentorship initiative. It is an amazing way to impart invaluable insider tricks of the trade to those hungry to learn and progress in the company. Even something as simple as starting a petition for a niftier coffee machine or looking at ways to be more eco-friendly around the office could offer a helpful distraction from your daily routine.

Engage in self-reflection – Take a moment to really ask yourself what it is you initially enjoyed about the position and what changed. Perhaps you could talk to your boss or find solutions to cope with the parts of your work you’re dissatisfied with.

Create a playlist that will motivate you into “worker bee” mode – Sift through your favourite tunes and listen to them with headphones or through your PC to give you that positive drive and help ease you along as you get through your day’s work.

Take a much-needed break – Many of us spend long hours in front of screens, piling workloads or dealing with the demands of clients and customers leading to job burnout as you’re overworked and stressed. Sometimes you just need to take some leave to refresh. Whether at the office or working from home, it’s vital to make a point of taking regular breaks to reboot.

Practice Gratitude – With most of us in the grip of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, we know the devastating impact it has had on economies with many people losing their livelihoods. It’s not hard to realise that if you still have a job in this turbulent climate, you’re pretty lucky and still have a reason to push through and something to