Writer's Block: Work, work, work

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We spend too much time at work to do something we hate for too long. You may have the money to enjoy yourself heartily in your free time, but do evenings, weekends, and a 14-day vacation (even if it's a nice one) make up for 40 hours a week, 260 days a year, of misery? If you enjoy your job, you don't *require* free time in the sense of it being a break from work. You can feel fulfilled more than just half the time, and stress from non-work forces (family, friends, etc) will affect you less because it isn't stacked up on top of an existing threshold of dissatisfaction in another sphere.

However, note that I say "for too long." We can all do something miserable for a short time, and most of us do-- and probably should, especially considering the alternatives these days. Working a bad job that pays is better than unemployment-- I'd like to see someone argue against that!-- and working a bad job can be a valuable experience. It's not one that we necessarily have to have-- I don't like the whole "Misery makes you strong! Seek out suffering!" attitude some people have-- but one that can still be made the most of when it happens: You learn what you cannot tolerate and to never force yourself to tolerate it again. And you make some money, which = survival in our society-- and better enables you to switch to a better career through education, or quitting and starting again from the bottom rung again.

For instance, as time goes by I'm becoming more frustrated with the downsides to my job-- being so far away from important people in my life and feeling very lonely where I live; uncomfortable work environment and work-supplied housing (I feel like Goldilocks, but is it really too much to ask to not have blue extremities in the winter and heat rash in summer?); culture clashes, ignorance, and even periodic instances of racism amongst my colleagues; the lack of upward mobility, professional training, and opportunities for creativity; and due to my work schedule the limited depth to my relationship with my students, who otherwise are my favorite part of the job-- but it pays well and I am only doing it for another year. Knowing there is an end in sight, the interesting experience and the pay more than makes up for the downsides. With the money I've saved I can be secure for a few months when I get back to the US even if I don't have a job and I could likely even go to grad school (so long as it's public or offers me money) without taking out a loan. The downsides to my job are enough that I would never, ever commit to it as a career, but I can certainly do it for a couple years.

Besides, my job isn't even *miserable*; there are a lot of things I do genuinely enjoy about it. It just has its share of frustrations which are too much for me to accept permanently. (Or even for three years). It's all about perspective, really. I think you have to be able to suck it up in the short term to achieve your goals (or some measure of security), but you also have to be able to look at your situation and know when is making you miserable enough that you should get out of it. Mental health, personal fulfillment, and happiness are very important. Do not underestimate the role a job can play in them-- or overestimate how much a fat paycheck can make them up.

Writer's Block: Work, work, work

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We spend too much time at work to do something we hate for too long. You may have the money to enjoy yourself heartily in your free time, but do evenings, weekends, and a 14-day vacation (even if it's a nice one) make up for 40 hours a week, 260 days a year, of misery? If you enjoy your job, you don't *require* free time in the sense of it being a break from work. You can feel fulfilled more than just half the time, and stress from non-work forces (family, friends, etc) will affect you less because it isn't stacked up on top of an existing threshold of dissatisfaction in another sphere.

However, note that I say "for too long." We can all do something miserable for a short time, and most of us do-- and probably should, especially considering the alternatives these days. Working a bad job that pays is better than unemployment-- I'd like to see someone argue against that!-- and working a bad job can be a valuable experience. It's not one that we necessarily have to have-- I don't like the whole "Misery makes you strong! Seek out suffering!" attitude some people have-- but one that can still be made the most of when it happens: You learn what you cannot tolerate and to never force yourself to tolerate it again. And you make some money, which = survival in our society-- and better enables you to switch to a better career through education, or quitting and starting again from the bottom rung again.

For instance, as time goes by I'm becoming more frustrated with the downsides to my job-- being so far away from important people in my life and feeling very lonely where I live; uncomfortable work environment and work-supplied housing (I feel like Goldilocks, but is it really too much to ask to not have blue extremities in the winter and heat rash in summer?); culture clashes, ignorance, and even periodic instances of racism amongst my colleagues; the lack of upward mobility, professional training, and opportunities for creativity; and due to my work schedule the limited depth to my relationship with my students, who otherwise are my favorite part of the job-- but it pays well and I am only doing it for another year. Knowing there is an end in sight, the interesting experience and the pay more than makes up for the downsides. With the money I've saved I can be secure for a few months when I get back to the US even if I don't have a job and I could likely even go to grad school (so long as it's public or offers me money) without taking out a loan. The downsides to my job are enough that I would never, ever commit to it as a career, but I can certainly do it for a couple years.

Besides, my job isn't even *miserable*; there are a lot of things I do genuinely enjoy about it. It just has its share of frustrations which are too much for me to accept permanently. (Or even for three years). It's all about perspective, really. I think you have to be able to suck it up in the short term to achieve your goals (or some measure of security), but you also have to be able to look at your situation and know when is making you miserable enough that you should get out of it. Mental health, personal fulfillment, and happiness are very important. Do not underestimate the role a job can play in them-- or overestimate how much a fat paycheck can make them up.