If your work life is overpopulated with “if onlys” and you believe that “things are the same no matter where you go,” it stands to reason that job-hopping is not likely to improve your job satisfaction. Although the temptation to abandon ship can be overpowering amidst the dangling lures of other facilities, changing jobs may only be a temporary fix. Like a Band-Aid that gets quickly soiled and falls off, sooner or later the unhealed wounds of dissatisfaction are exposed to the same contaminants as before.

The antidote lies within. How many nurses does it take to change a work environment?

One.

You.

You don’t need a committee, a task force, a focus group, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men, or even those mystical “powers that be.”

“You don’t have to change jobs to get more job satisfaction,” says Melissa Goggin, RN. As a personal coach, Goggin helps her clients identify sources of pleasure and pain at work and offers strategies to increase the sources of pleasure. According to Goggin, the key is to “try and be creative about how you do the business you have to do.” Your ideal work situation may actually be right in front of you.

Down the Drain?

One of the first ways to transform the workplace is to identify the energy drains — both big and small. They may not be apparent at first. Take the example of Trisha and her actions toward other staff. Although her behavior may not be directed at you, it can still be a large energy drain. On an emotional level, it lowers morale and demoralizes the entire staff. This produces an added strain by feeding into the problem of not having enough staff because people may leave the unit to escape her behavior.

Goggin likens this effect to a whirlpool where the actions of one or two people can bring everybody down. She adds that conversely, one or two people “can get the whirlpool going the other way and boost morale.” Rather than spending your time wondering how you are going to change Trisha, focus on changing yourself and the way you respond to her behavior. Do you unconsciously condone it by not addressing it with her? Is she even aware of the hurtful nature of her comments? Goggin advocates a straightforward approach. Tactfully and privately speak with Trisha about the effects of her actions. Encourage others to do the same.

A similar effect is seen with gossiping and complaining. “There is a fine line between support and a whine session,” says Goggin. If you choose to bow out of the moan and groan club and they eat lunch in the conference room, have lunch elsewhere. If they seek you out to lay the latest rumor or outrage on you, explain your decision not to participate in negative communication. Goggin notes that this type of confrontation may be uncomfortable, but most people appreciate honesty and a direct approach. Noted personal growth author Susan Jeffers explains, “You must become what you want to attract. Be the kind of person you would want to surround yourself with.”

The small energy drains can be just as devastating due to their cumulative effects. The little energy drains may seem inconsequential or petty at first. You may not even be aware of them. For example, if you spend most of your day searching for a black ink pen, it erodes away time you could be spending on more pleasurable work activities. Similarly, if you are using documentation forms that don’t meet your needs, you feel like you are wasting your time on meaningless paperwork. Reclaim that lost energy by buying your pens in bulk and redesigning your documentation system.

One Step at a Time

Keys to successful change include attitude and approach. Goggin advises those seeking to make change to “create an atmosphere of ‘we’re all in this together,’ rather than ‘us against them,’” and adds that “making the decision to try to make things better as an individual and as a team” can enhance support. Changes, big or small, should be coupled with an air of expectation that they will work. “Attitude is three quarters of the battle,” she explains. “If you approach with ‘this will never work,’ it’s not going to work.”

Effective change requires planning and follow-up. Goggin suggests making a list of what can be added and what can be subtracted in your work, then doing the math to break even a little at a time. Try to incorporate the changes in small increments rather than all at once. For example, add more opportunities to improve your unit’s documentation system by joining the nursing records committee. Subtract the stress of always running late by getting up 15 minutes earlier. It’s also important to eliminate those ever-present annoyances that you tolerate. If Mark’s disjointed change of shift report makes you tense, help him to improve it. Share your tricks and tips for organization with him. He will surely appreciate your help, and you will gain personal satisfaction from aiding in the professional development of a colleague.

Once you’ve created the changes, keep tabs on your progress. “It takes 30 days to change a habit,” notes Goggin. To avoid backslides and maintain positive changes, she advises her clients to “check in with themselves on a regular basis to see if they are living the life they want to.” Examine any improvements and achievements and how they came about. She recommends these self-checks about every month to six weeks and adds that keeping a journal is a valuable tool for tracking progress.

A Gift for You

Change is the most difficult, but most rewarding, gift you can give yourself. Before uprooting yourself in search of more nourishing soil, perform a soil analysis to see if you can simply add a few nutrients or eliminate some of the pests. If you cannot bloom where you are planted, transplant yourself. In her book on personal change, SARK writes: “Each person deserves work that nourishes and supports him or her. The journey to find this work involves much self-exploration and ‘wrong’ turns. Usually disguised blessings! Our work life operates as a series of lessons for our development as creative, fully engaged people. Sometimes the lesson entails leaving the work situation, adjusting the work situation, or recreating the workplace.” The choice and the power to transform your worklife are completely and uniquely yours.