Leading a team can be a thankless job. It seems there is no end to the number of “fires” a department head or leader has to put out in a given day. If you are feeling increasingly behind and if you hate to look ahead because the future outlook is more of the same, then you need a dose of meaning. No, not a meeting—meaning! Ideally, leaders would have the luxury of setting aside time to contemplate how their specific roles have significance to their company and their team, but in the real world, sitting around and “just thinking” during the business day is usually frowned upon. So here is a shortcut to finding a sense of meaning in your work:

Find people to thank!

I know, thanking other people may not seem like a task that would bring meaning to you, but actually it works like a charm. Part of what makes the job of leading others feel thankless at times is that we spend so much time correcting behaviors and giving people “feedback.” Helping your team course-correct is important but it can also feel exhausting at times. To offset that task take time today to thank people who consistently do things right or who are cooperative and keeping their promises to you. This applies not only to the people you manage but also to your customers. Think about the few customers you have who are a pleasure to serve and how little attention they get because they are easy. Pick up the phone or send a carefully crafted email thanking them (this gesture should be in addition to the customary thank you gift or note and with no ulterior motive). Author Daniel Pink even suggests that we go far back in our careers and thank people who helped us get started or gave us a second chance. Doing this will not only make the recipient of your gesture feel great—but it will add a good dose of meaning to your day immediately.

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~Melody Beattie