Sunday, October 2, 2011

Thou shalt love thy job.. or do something about it

I am young. I have a job. I get paid for my work. I have got new, absolutely great friends at my workplace[1]. My family and friends think its cool to be employed. But, it still sucks!

This seems to be the story of almost all the young and employed people I know. Here's an example. In my opinion, not loving your job is one thing, but to hate it seems very wrong (at least) to me. Just don't forget  there are lots of people without any job. In this post, I've decided to put forward some of my thoughts on the matter, and point all people who whine on this topic to this post. Here are some frustrations/arguments/rants that are most frequent.


I just work to pay the bills
Yeah. First of all, good for you. The line you just read in bold is just a simple remark, but its a very important one. You may be able to enjoy your work and all, but this remark is very important in retrospect. To me, you saying this means that
a) you are truthful, and 
(more importantly) b) you keep your work and life apart.

I know this is a very bad, even silly way to find out whether somebody keeps their work and life different, but it works for me. Except that people who just love their jobs won't ever say this. But we are not talking about how-to-find-if-somebody-loves-their-job. Hope you got the point.

I spend almost all my productive time at work
This is an accurate and equally valid reason. No one wants to come home tired, and go to work the next day continuing the same grind. But no one, yes no one ever got paid for doing nothing[2]. 

There's no solution for this problem. Yes, no solution. Maybe except loving what you do. Ever seen a sportstar saying 'I'm bored of playing?' An exception is when you have (rather are) heavily invested in some work or business related pursuit. To me, it seems like loving what you do is the only solution, but most of us are not that lucky. Another solution is to quit your present job, but I'll come to it later.

I don't have any time for my hobby
This is the pet peeve for most people who have just started working. And no reason why it should not be. The basic reason for this is the change in lifestyle that accompanies with starting a new job. Particularly when that job happens to be your first job. And even more so if you have had to move to another city or province or country for it.

But lets face it. Moving to a new place, or starting a job for the first time (or both) are of course changes in your life. You just can't go on crying about them. In my present job, there are lots of people who have had to change their hobbies. One was a dram-e-baz (amateur actor in college dramatics club...), another played video games all the time etc. But the time and resources available change, and you've got to adapt. The dram-e-baz at office got interested in photography a few months back, and now the dude has got half the office interested in it[3]. The basic thing is to find something else. Something that can be included in your (now) limited time and resources. Like blogging:)

I just want it all to end!
What, i ask? Your job or this blog entry? In case its the latter, there's a close button somewhere on your browser. If you wish to end your present job, be patient for a while and think. Plan. Explore and simulate your options in your mind. Think and decide if you will be happy in your current situation over a longer period of time, say next 2-3 years[4]. Mind that you don't have to feel satisfied at the end of this period. Satisfaction is like excellence, better thought of and tried for than achieved! Develop some new skill, or refine/enhance your current skill set, and then go looking for other opportunities. Leaving your current job without another job in hand is better explained with the old dictum- one bird in hand is worth two in the bush (or something like it). Thats what I would suggest. To the people I know anyway.

[1] Not that previous friends are not any bad, its just I didn't expect to find such good people at work!
[2] Well, if we exclude rich people's children. Also people who are enjoying the fruits of hard work over a period of time (e.g. a startup guy whose startup just got acquired). 
[3] I work in a small company. Everybody knows everybody. Just like college.
[4] For me, working at one place for any more than this will be unexpected, or so it seems.

7 comments:

  1. You are pretty mature writer...
    I am liking your writing skills even more than your smiling face.. *no I am kidding your smiling face can steal the show any time* FAT-ASS :)

    Anyways I liked your take on the much complicated topic of all time.. To love or not to love your job..
    And as you left no other option except loving my job so I don't hv much to say on this post...

    And I hope that you will take the blogging seriously this time.. You are good with it and you should write more often..

    Happy blogging. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. hey kk.... gud work dude... seriously loved it... evn m thinkin of blogging now.... awesome work... keep up the gud work...

    ReplyDelete
  3. agar maine itna padha hota to aaj nasa me selection ho gaya hota.... :p

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am glad I landed on your blog from Arpit's. I was looking for fresh bloggers who speak up their mind. I have taken some risks, did not care to follow my heart but not as bad because now I am trying to do what I always wanted to...

    #_#
    The Blunt Blog

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Arpit.
    Thanks for calling me mature
    Screw you for calling me a fat-ass
    And as far as leaving options for you, I did not stamp my views on anybody. Its like the school dictum: You can either laugh and study, or cry and study, but study you must!

    @Bobin.
    Thanks for the encouragement. I mean it.

    @Vics.
    Tujhe kua kahoon yaar?

    @TheBluntBlogger.
    You are the first stranger to comment on my blog. Having an unlimited audience is one of the biggest advantages of blogging. I too am glad you landed on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are pretty organised in terms of writing (got a glance of it while reading your project report).
    I really feel we only do things which we want to do. Sometimes we are not ready to work for what we want to achieve(Do we really want that?). Because we are scared , not sure , worried of what would happen , if's (but's) and what not! Time when we want travelling through a road more traveled. Doing what you always wanted to do is the best option.

    Liked when you talked about developing interests.There was good humor going on with the post.
    nice read!

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Ashish The point that you took up in your comment, that people only think/do what is easy/comfortable is a very big thing in itself, and I am sure given enough time (and money!) either of us or anybody else can fill entire volumes with it.

    Anyways, liked your comment and the fact that you visited my blog. Hope you liked it!

    ReplyDelete