{"id":501,"date":"2018-04-30T04:45:09","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T04:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/?p=501"},"modified":"2018-04-30T06:47:35","modified_gmt":"2018-04-30T06:47:35","slug":"what-your-job-related-dreams-could-be-telling-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.careerone.com.au\/career-advice\/work-life-balance\/what-your-job-related-dreams-could-be-telling-you","title":{"rendered":"What your job-related dreams could be telling you"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you\u2019ve had dreams (or nightmares) about your job, you\u2019re not alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After a long day on the job, a good night\u2019s sleep is supposed to be restorative, but how exactly can you recharge when your subconscious brings you right back to the workplace? So much for that!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever had\u00a0dreams (or nightmares) about your job, you\u2019re not alone. \u201cDreaming about work is definitely common,\u201d says Lauri Loewenberg, professional dream analyst and author of\u00a0Dream On It: Unlock Your Dreams<\/em>, Change Your Life<\/em>. The reason why, she says, is because we dream about the things that are on our minds, or situations that are troubling us the most. And since we spend about a third of our day at work, it makes sense that we frequently show up to our job in our dreams, too.<\/p>\n

But what do workplace dreams really mean? And can you learn something from them and actually make improvements to your career? Find out what some of the most common job-related dreams might be trying to tell you, and how you can train your brain to think up solutions to workplace challenges and even serve as an idea incubator.<\/p>\n

Dream interpretation<\/strong><\/h5>\n

If you\u2019re like most people, you\u2019ve probably had a few of these commonly reported job dreams. Could they be giving you some insight into your waking life?<\/p>\n

Running late for a meeting<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Running late is a common theme, especially for people who have jobs in which they are frequently up against a deadline, says Loewenberg. In fact, they\u2019re similar to the school dreams you\u2019ve also probably had, the ones where you miss first period chemistry, or sit down for an exam you didn\u2019t prepare for, she says.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re having a lot of those missing-a-meeting dreams, it could be a signal that\u00a0you\u2019ve got a lot on your plate, either at work or in your personal life.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/strong>\u00a0Where in my life do I feel pressed for time? Is there something I want to accomplish that my dream is reminding me of, perhaps a personal deadline I set for myself?<\/p>\n

Showing up to work naked<\/strong><\/h5>\n

No, it has nothing to do with nudist tendencies. \u201cNaked dreams come about when we\u2019re having concern or anxiety about being in a situation in which all eyes are on us,\u201d says Loewenberg. The idea of feeling exposed or concerned about how you appear to others can definitely be work related, especially if you\u2019re in a new job or hitting the interview circuit.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/strong>\u00a0In what areas of your professional life do you feel scrutinized, judged, or picked apart? \u201cPerhaps you\u2019re training for a new role, evaluation time is coming up, or you have to give a presentation,\u201d says Loewenberg. Whatever the case, do what you can to be better prepared so you can alleviate some of the anxiety.<\/p>\n

Boring work dreams<\/strong><\/h5>\n

A totally different type of work dream is simply being at work and doing exactly what you normally do, says Sue Kolod, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, and chair of the Committee on Public Information of the American Psychoanalytic Association.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might dream that you\u2019re making calls or working on a brief. This is usually sparked when you\u2019re preoccupied by something you\u2019re working on,\u201d she says. \u201cYou\u2019re literally working while you\u2019re asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/strong>\u00a0Are you taking your work to bed with you? Kolod recommends giving yourself at least a full hour before bedtime to relax. That means no checking your email, taking calls, or doing any work-related reading. \u201cTry to consciously make a point of separating work life and relaxation and sleeping,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

A sex dream about a co-worker<\/strong><\/h5>\n

There\u2019s no reason to feel embarrassed or awkward if you have a sex dream about someone you work with. That\u2019s because dreams are symbolic, not literal, assures Loewenberg. \u201cThe act of intimacy is often more about a psychological union you need or have had with that person,\u201d she says. It can also be that you\u2019re attracted to an attribute or style that the co-worker possesses, one that could benefit you.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/strong>\u00a0Have you connected to your dream partner in some way recently, such as working on a project together? Or do you need to connect with that person to advance in your job?<\/p>\n

Being back at your first job<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Dreams are always connected to what\u2019s going on in your life right now, but there could be something unresolved from your past that is affecting you now, says Loewenberg. If you\u2019re dreaming that you\u2019re back in your first waitress job and can\u2019t fulfill an order, for instance, it can be your subconscious comparing that experience to something going on in your job now that feels similar.<\/p>\n

Along those lines, if you have feelings of contentment or happiness when dreaming of an old occupation (or even a completely new one you\u2019ve never had), it could signal that you\u2019re unhappy with the trajectory that your career has recently taken.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/strong>\u00a0Are you not reaching a certain goal in your current career? Have you had trouble serving the needs of your clients and your boss? Is there something missing from your job today that you once had?<\/p>\n

Workplace nightmares<\/strong><\/h5>\n

If you\u2019re having frequent nightmares about workplace violence or fighting with people in the office, it\u2019s a sign that your emotions are overwhelming you in some way, says Kolod. It could be a strong indication that something is difficult for you at work, either a\u00a0relationship with a colleague\u00a0or a grueling project. Or, it could be something more serious.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your work dreams are truly unpleasant, such as a recurring dream about your boss coming after you, take that seriously,\u201d says Kolod. It could be a call to action telling you to deal with a situation that\u2019s weighing on your mind.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:\u00a0<\/em>Does the emotion you felt in your nightmare feel familiar to one you\u2019ve felt during a real-life conflict? \u201cEmotion in a dream is very honest,\u201d says Loewenberg. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge clue as to what the dream is trying to help you with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Work dreams aren\u2019t always about work<\/strong><\/h5>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that just because you dream about your office or someone you work with, it doesn\u2019t mean that your job is in peril or that\u00a0your boss is evil. Sometimes a situation or conversation in a dream is a stand-in for something happening in a different setting.<\/p>\n

Likewise, says Kolod, a dream about your father could really be about your boss if they are similar in some way.<\/p>\n

Get in tune with your dreams<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Loewenberg says the phrase \u201clet me sleep on it\u201d is actually very intuitive, and explains why we often have more clarity about a situation when we wake up in the morning. Here are some exercises to help you remember and understand your dreams:<\/p>\n

Write in a journal\u00a0before bed<\/strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cClear out your psyche to make way for better dreams,\u201d says Loewenberg. This is especially helpful if your dreams have been dark and disturbing as of late.<\/p>\n

Take five minutes to reflect before you arise.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhen you wake up, remain in the exact position you were sleeping. Once you roll over or get up, it\u2019s like unplugging yourself from your dream,\u201d says Loewenberg. Then, quiet your mind and let your dream come back to you. The more you do this, the more dream recall you\u2019ll get. Write down what you remember, and think about what it could mean.<\/p>\n

Ask your subconscious for help.<\/strong>\u00a0Did you know that the brand name Nike came to one of the company\u2019s employees in a dream? If you\u2019re looking for creative inspiration, you can turn to your dreams, says Loewenberg. \u201cHave a conversation with your subconscious before bed. Odds are you are going to dream about it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

While you can learn about yourself by examining your dreams, don\u2019t let a particularly weird one freak you out. What\u2019s important to remember is that dreams are not prophecies, says Kolod. \u201cDreams are not telling you what will happen in the future,\u201d she explains, \u201cbut they can tell you how you\u2019re feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contributed by Monster.com<\/em><\/p>\n

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