“Same ole, same ole” is pretty much how I live my life, but I don’t find it boring or uneventful. The General would say that I pretty much do whatever I want? Okay, so she’s got a point. Why wouldn’t I? I could say the same of her. Actually, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
If you don’t find contentment in the ordinary, it would have to be the catalyst for orchestrating change or a life sentence to misery. Of course, I recognize that not everyone has a dream job.
For some there is a decided difference between work and play. In my world of experience, the two dimensions generally merged into one. I’ve always maintained that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. I’ve always had fun. Consequently, I’d be the last to advocate working at a place that felt more like a “ball and chain” than an opportunity to do those things you find most enjoyable and an expression of your skill set.
Let me ask: “Is your work just a job that pays the bills and provides a sense of security, or is it something much more? Is it one of the passions of your life that gives you a reason for getting up each morning? Does it provide an opportunity to do what you like best?
The questions are important as a check and balance system:
- I’ve read that unhappiness on the job affects a large percentage of the American work force.
- One fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.
- Seven out of ten people are neither motivated nor competent to perform the basics of their job.
- 43% of employees feel anger toward their employers often or very often as a result of feeling overworked.
I can’t imagine a “life sentence” associated to one’s work if you didn’t find it meaningful and fulfilling. John Ortberg makes a good point in light of the statistics: “Such misery can’t help but sour families, populate bars, and pay the salaries of therapists. If 70 % of us dread Mondays, dream of Fridays, and slug through the rest of the week, won’t our relationships suffer? Won’t our work suffer? Won’t our health suffer?”
Henry Neils wrote an article entitled :”13 Signs of Burnout and How to help You Avoid It”. I really liked the introduction:
“In some ways it was a typical breakfast meeting. The waitress was pleasant, the eggs were average, and the restaurant was full of busy people. We shared a cup of black, coffee-like substance, and the first few times my client took a sip he managed to spill quite a bit of it. His trembling hand was just one of the symptoms of his burnout. That’s why we were meeting. He wanted to know if I could help him.
“I picked up a fork and explained that as long as I used it for eating, the fork would last indefinitely. However, if I began to use it to drive nails or dig trenches, it would soon break. The key was to use it for what it was designed to do.
“The look in his eyes told me he got it, but I still went on to say that people are like the fork. When they do what they are not designed to do, they eventually break”.
Have often do you stop in the midst of a busy, hectic week to remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing? Do you ever stop to reflect on what you were hoping to accomplish when you chose you line of work? It has to represent more than a paycheck or it has the potential to be detrimental to your sense of well-being.
So, this is the beginning of the Labor Day weekend. Folks will take a break from “same ole, same ole” and figuratively disassociate themselves from thoughts of work. For many it will represent out-of-town trips, visits with family and friends, and an opportunity for a respite or rest.
It is interesting that Labor Day began as a holiday to support and celebrate the achievement of workers. Reportedly, it is also tied to the concept of an eight-hour day. Ideally eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation and eight hours for rest.
When you break it out like that, it seems so simply. Actually, my experience never found a perfect balance of the three dimensions. I guess one of the downsides to loving what you do is that you seldom cease to do what you do. Finding balance becomes the issue.
So, it’s Friday before Labor Day. We don’t yet have plans, but I think I’ll use some creativity to come up with a plan. Maybe I’ll even do yard work? Did I say that out loud? I must be delusional.
All My Best!
Don