If you read one more article on happiness in the workplace, you're going to lose it.

　　如果你再阅读一篇关于职场幸福感的文章，你很快就会失去它。

　　Sometimes, we assume that finding meaning is all about saving the world, feeding the hungry, or housing the homeless. But it's not limited to that. Psychologist Todd Hall defines meaningful work as "work that contributes to the well-being of others in a way that uniquely expresses and defines who we are."

　　有时候，我们会认为，寻找意义意味着拯救世界，救助贫寒。但还不限于这些。心理学家Todd Hall 把有意义的工作定义为“以一种独一无二的方式表达和体现我们个人价值，对他人的幸福作出贡献的工作。”

　　Here are some ways to find that meaning in your work — even if you think your job is a soul-sucking black hole of boredom.

　　下面有3种方法能够帮助你找到工作的意义——即使你认为你的工作完全只是一件被黑洞吞噬灵魂的无趣的事情。

　　1.Know your why

　　1. 清楚做这份工作的原因。

　　No matter your situation, you're at your current job for a reason. Maybe you need the income to save for a house for your growing family, or maybe there's an illness in your family and you absolutely must have the medical coverage that job provides.

　　无论你的情况如何，你做当前的工作都是有原因的。也许你需要存储薪水养家糊口，或者家人生病了，你必须使用这份工作带来的医疗保障。

　　You may not be absolutely delighted at work every day, but that doesn't mean there's no higher purpose in what you're doing. In fact, researchers have identified that deeply meaningful lives can also be characterized by stress, struggle, and challenges.

　　也许你并不会每天工作得很快乐，但这不意味着没有更高尚的理由让你留在这个职位上。实际上，研究人员发现，具有深度意义的生活能够描述为充满压力，挣扎和挑战的。

　　So, take a moment to jot down all the reasons why you work. On those days when you get down about your job situation, reflect on your deeper purpose for being there.

　　所以，花点时间把你担任这份工作的所有原因都写下来吧。当你做一份工作的时候，反思一下你担任这个职位的更深层原因吧。

　　2.Express your human goodness

　　2. 表现人性之善良

　　"Character strengths" are virtues, such as creativity, honesty, kindness, social intelligence, or gratitude, that allow you to express goodness and help yourself and others. Finding and expressing your unique character strengths can fill your life with more meaning and satisfaction.

　　“性格特长”指的是诸如创造力，诚实，友好，社交智商，或者感恩的心，那些能够表达你的善良与美好并能帮助自己和他人的优点。找一找并表现你独特的性格特长，能够让你的生活充满意义和满足感。

　　By doing this, you'll find meaning from an intrinsic perspective — in other words, from what's already inside of you — rather than expecting your job to create and deliver a sense of happiness to you from the outside.

　　通过这样做，你能够从一个本质的角度发现意义——换而言之，从你的内心深处，而不是你希望工作为你创造的，以及从外部传达的幸福感。

　　3.Connect the dots

　　3. 连点成线

　　When you're in a job that you don't enjoy, you probably find the situation absolutely infuriating — why are you stuck in this mess?

　　当你不喜欢你的工作，也许你会发现这样的状况非常恼火——为什么还要陷在这个泥坑里呢?

　　But instead of dwelling on the frustration of the current situation, find meaning by connecting your past, present, and future.

　　不过，相比于苦苦纠缠于当前的窘境，还不如把你的过去，现在和将来联系起来，寻找其中的意义吧。

　　Now, imagine a future where you will no longer be in a job you despise, where you'll be able to continue pursuing your goals, and where you'll finally have a career that provides both meaning and happiness. Your current situation will get you there eventually — you just have to be patient.

　　那么现在，你可以想象一下，你即将不再停留在这一份你鄙视的工作了，有一份工作可以继续追求自己的目标，可以找到让你感到有意义和幸福感。当前的状况能够让你最终达到那个目标，你只需要耐心等待。

　　By reflecting on the past and connecting it to the future, you can make your present unhappiness circumstance more bearable.

　　通过反思过去，联系将来，你能够让自己更宽容地接受当前的不满足状态。

　　As quirky as it seems, sometimes we really benefit from challenging, stressful, and, yes, even unhappy situations. Try these three strategies to look at your work life through a new lens, and realize that by creating meaning, you can also create job satisfaction.

　　虽然看起来很奇怪，但我们有时候的确能够从挑战和压力，甚至是……对!从不愉快的状况中有所成长。尝试以上这三种方法，并以全新的角度查看自己的工作生活，并从创造意义中发现你的工作意义，还能产生职业满足感。