Variety

Novelty is the foundation of the VARIETY motive: you don’t want to do the same thing all of the time. VARIETY is in the Stimulation Domain, alongside the INNOVATION motive. You are driven to perform when your work engages your interest and enthusiasm. You like to change things up, and are not easily intimidated by a task just because you haven’t done it before. Your ideal work scenario allows you to collect varied experiences, and won’t trap you in one process or project. If you do end up operating within one skill set, you enjoy having multiple and diverse applications for it. You resist the idea of an unbending routine. Similarly, you’re demotivated and discontent in monotonous environments or cultures that prize uniformity. Having the VARIETY motive doesn’t mean you don’t want certainty or dependability in certain areas of your work life, or that you aren’t organized and thoughtful in how you spend your effort and time. Rather, you likely enjoy learning and exploration, and this motive keeps you alert to the excitement of a little professional uncertainty. Too much certainty and routine can cause even meaningful work to begin to feel mundane, tedious, or boring to you. You want to keep your work life fresh and dynamic. This can mean variation in your tasks, in the people or places you encounter, in your routine, or in the positive professional challenges that you face. Regardless of where it manifests, VARIETY is a key part of your happiness and fulfillment at work.

 You feel this motive being met when…

+ You experience VARIETY at your job in the ways that matter most to you (e.g. through the array of tasks for which you’re responsible, in flexible scheduling, through novel learning opportunities, and/or through the chance to work with diverse peers or in different environments).

+ Something at work, either big or small, can always capture your interest.

+ While your work has some structure and consistency, you don’t have to do the exact same thing every day.

 This motive is at risk when…

– You are frequently bored at your job.

– Your drive to try novel or varied projects or tasks at work is routinely rejected by superiors or colleagues.

– You feel your work life has become monotonous, and you are running out of factors that are in your power to change.

A Work Wellness Check-In for VARIETY

1. Am I frequently bored at my job? If so, do I know why?
2. What type of VARIETY is important to me? Varied routine? Meeting or working with new people? Switching up tasks, goals, and responsibilities? Chances to explore and learn, either inside or outside of my habitual work arena? Change of scenery and work environment?
3. How consistent is my schedule? How consistent does it need to be? Do I have breaks or the ability to shift tasks throughout the day? Is this one area where more variation and occasional pattern-breaking might energize me?

4. Do I feel like I use the full range of my skills at work? Are there skills I’d like to use or develop that feel neglected?
5. When was the last time I had a fresh experience at work or tried something new? If it’s been too long can I seek this out?
6. Do the people I work with closely share the strong need for VARIETY? If not, would helping them understand I do best when working across many different accounts, a range of customer needs or solving different types of problems benefit me?
7. What practical steps could I take to seek out more novel opportunities at work?
8. Even if I don’t consider myself “creative,” what is my experience of creativity in this role? Is my creativity something I’m developing or recovering at work, or does it feel stifled?
9. How do I create VARIETY for myself without compromising what needs to be accomplished each day?

10. Are there professional challenges I’ve always wanted but am unable to explore in my current workplace? Is this a goal that would be appropriate or productive for me to talk about with my peers or superiors?
11. When I consider less-than-stimulating, obligatory work tasks versus interesting and novel projects, do I feel that my average work week provides a healthy balance? If not, what can I do to create a balance?
12. If I have too much VARIETY and engage in constant multi-tasking does it impede my focus and performance? What do I think is the right amount of VARIETY for me personally?
13. Does my work-life provide me with a healthy dose of unpredictability and VARIETY, or is work unchanging and predictable?
14. If I feel a lack of VARIETY in my current role, am I stifling this motive in the interest of meeting my other motives? Is losing VARIETY a sacrifice I’m willing to make? How will it impact me in the long-term?