Enjoy your work when you love what you are doing

As I always ask - how many of us can really get the job you want? For me, I have not, to date. And right now, I am very tired, physically and mentally, with my work.

I found out that if you love what you are doing, you will continue to enjoy or at least allow you to last much longer in the same job. If you don't like what you are doing, well, you tend to wear out much faster. So the next best thing is, to leave and go somewhere else to recharge your energy.

I have been very envious of hubby lately. He has changed his department in his present company (to something he is familiar with). I can see his excitement over his work. Yes, of course he feels stress over the demands by his bosses most of the time, he gets frustrated, he gets tired being overloaded, he is sleepy by the time he comes home....but he still talks about his work with excitement. He doesn't mind the extra hours he needs to put in, even as I write now, he is working on his computer, but he doesn't complain. When he talks about his job, he will smile one leh!

That's what I call, do what you love and love what you do, and you can have an enjoyable work life. Unlike me, who feels stress also, gets frustrated also, gets tired, feels sleepy, but the difference is - I fail to find that excitement (or Ohms!) at work. I can still give my best, but it drains me out emotionally. I guess this will go on till the day I realise I really can't take it and won't want to take it anymore. Then, I will have to move myself.

So what makes the difference (at least between my hubby and myself)?

One of the obvious reasons could be individual preferences in their fields of work. He has been in this line previously and knows this is where he can contribute positively. For me, I always think the conventional kind of work is not something I desire. I love things that allow me to move around, use my hands, do not follow routines, definitely not with lots of rules and policies and guidelines to tie me down. To give you an idea, things like photography would be something along that line. But too bad, I did not develop such expertise earlier (though it might not be too late now, IF I have the spare $$$).

My parents had given me the opportunity to learn piano when I was younger. I wasn't very interested then and had a hard time learning. I gave up without completing the full course and did not pick up the skill very well. I wouldn't say I regretted not developing that skill because at that time, I was really not keen in classicals and I really had problem focusing on the score. I would only asked myself now, how nice would it be if my interest was there and would follow through. That was the only pity. Wonder if I can still pick it up now.

I don't think I will ever enjoy the kind of work I am in now (the usual 9 to 5 kind of office work) but I will probably have to stick with it until I manage to find a way out, in terms of finding my love job, or when I die, whichever comes first.

Another reason could be the support you get at work. Hubby has a good partner at work. They do not always agree on things but they can work things out. The big boss has his demands and priorities keep changing, but they slug it out together, with their staff. For me........I shan't say more. For those not in my organisation, leave it at that. For those in my organisation, you should know.

I don't know where I am heading towards. I am just following a zig-zag path with no end in sight. I hate to go on like that for the rest of my life. I need to think of a way out soon.

14 Feb 2009 (10.18pm)