March 29, 2017 at 9:05 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Is work just work?
March 29, 2017 at 11:33 pm
Sage advice I gave to my nephew when he graduated high school : Find something you really enjoy doing, get good at it, and find a way to make a living doing it. I have to agree with Steve, many of us are lucky because we would not be doing what we do if we did not like problem solving. There is a sense of accomplishment and job satisfaction seeing a big project and even a small problem reach resolution and clients are happy. I am hard pressed to think of another field that would offer quite the same level of job satisfaction. Certainly not accountants or toll collectors.
March 30, 2017 at 1:12 am
I think perhaps that *where* you work over what it is you do has a bigger impact on job satisfaction.
I love what I do for the past 3 companies I've worked however the one prior to that, whilst the work and environment was similar (though technology of course was scaled back by 10 years) the environment is what trendy people now call toxic. There was no appreciation of anything. You would spend a weekend unpaid making something work to still meet the companies arbitrary deadline successfully, and rather than get a slap on the back and a thank you, it was either taken for granted, or worse to add insult to injury this phrase would crop up "Let's not let this success take our eye off the ball for XYZ project".
Needless to say a GFY was issued.
March 30, 2017 at 2:10 am
I enjoy my job and it is rewarding, I like the people I work with, I learn every day and the work we do does benefit others... but it is still just work. I have other things in my life that I value more highly such as family and hobbies. If I could maintain my lifestyle without going to work then yes I'd probably stop going. There's plenty of other stuff to do in the world besides sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
March 30, 2017 at 2:13 am
"Work to live" sounds nicer than "Live to work"!
So is our work not a chance to show the world what best we can achieve with our efforts; or fulfil our role on this planet to help and serve others?
Surely our whole life, of which work is part, is the stage for that?
That said, it is a blessing to work in a non-toxic environment and have enjoyable, challenging work for a large part of the time.
March 30, 2017 at 2:34 am
I do my best to be in the really enjoy it camp, sometimes it's a struggle though. I'm kind of in the position where I feel obligated to do a lot of the dirtier jobs, as well as the planning and evaluation type stuff. What I do really enjoy is learning and tuning a technology to work well for particular purposes, especially a well thought through technology that makes such a dream, with good results. Recently I've not had much of that. Hopefully I have a new phase upcoming shortly though.
March 30, 2017 at 2:37 am
If you don't already enjoy your work, find a way to enjoy it. Whatever you're employed to do, you'll be better at your job; you, your colleagues and your employers will be happier and you will be more fulfilled.
March 30, 2017 at 2:44 am
I totally agree with Alex. I have worked in two toxic environments and it is horrendous. It changes ones own behaviour without self-realisation. My wife has said that at these times she longed for the change to a new contract for me. Everywhere else appears on the scale from not much fun to total pleasure. I can live with some "not much fun" as, just like in our day to day tasks, I can accept some mundanity and dullness amongst the excitement.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
March 30, 2017 at 4:00 am
These are the times I feel I should have become a forest ranger...
🙁
March 30, 2017 at 4:08 am
When I was still in school, the teacher gave us a questionnaire to answer with regards to our future after school. The asked from a given list to indicate what our priorities would be in our future work careers. Everybody had dutifulness as number 1 because they thought that's what the teacher would want to see. When I put enjoyment as number 1 they all laughed. Well, I cannot remember what the teacher said but I based this answer on my parents' work experiences. My father always came home complaining, my mother enjoyed her work because she always came home telling us stories about what happened at work. I think its a matter of choice. No matter what work you do or how mundane, choose to enjoy it. After having worked for 35 years I can say I did that most of the time. 😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛
Manie Verster
Developer
Johannesburg
South Africa
I am happy because I choose to be happy.
I just love my job!!!
March 30, 2017 at 4:12 am
Whenever it gets to the stage where it is, I'm off. Life's too short to spend a third or more of it stewing doing makework jobs IMO. 80%+ of the population prefer stability and an easier life, and probably think I'm crackers, but I find an easy life a dull one
I'm a DBA.
I'm not paid to solve problems. I'm paid to prevent them.
March 30, 2017 at 4:23 am
Work is work. It's a just a job that enables me to do the other things I love to do like ride my motorcycles, go hiking, go camping, etc. After 25 years in the work force, and close to 20 of it in IT, I'm over it. I do my job to the best of my ability, I strive to learn more to become better but I do it for me not the organization. I have learned that pouring yourself into your job is a waste of energy. You end up short changing your family, yourself, and the employer doesn't appreciate it or care much past how it affects the bottomline. Cynical? Probably, but true.
March 30, 2017 at 6:47 am
I still can't believe that people pay me to do this stuff. If I weren't working, I would be programming for fun.
March 30, 2017 at 7:04 am
There is always some drudgery in *anything* you do, no matter how passionate you may be about doing it. Having said that, I will say I'm extremely lucky to have found my calling. Software development, to me, is the perfect profession. It's creative, every problem is unique, and after 40 years I still look forward to going to work. 🙂
I'll say this to anyone considering any career. If you don't love it, live it, breathe it, dream about it, then perhaps you should reconsider. Too often people fall into something and think "eh, it pays the bills".
That, in my opinion, is a tragedy. Be it computer related, person related, service related, or military, do what you love, throw yourself into it body and soul. Those who feel privileged to do what they do are among the happiest among us. Passion powers greatness, whether a private greatness or one acknowledged by the world.
Don't let anyone else dictate your choice in this, no more than you would let someone else pick your spouse.
March 30, 2017 at 7:05 am
Jason Mirsky - Wednesday, March 29, 2017 11:33 PMSage advice I gave to my nephew when he graduated high school : Find something you really enjoy doing, get good at it, and find a way to make a living doing it. ...
Actually, I've often advised people not to do that. Sometimes it's not best to take something you do for enjoyment and make it something you do for necessity. It changes the whole dynamic. One may enjoy playing music, but it's a lot different when it becomes your job, your livelihood, and you HAVE to perform day after day, week after week. ... a source of enjoyment can become a burden.
Having said that, however, I'm comfortable in my long term IT job. At 67 I feel no need to retire, having responsibilities, being in the middle of things helps keep me mentally on my toes. But then, off work, my pace is very different. I get my hands dirty building and off roading my Jeeps, or playing with photography. In those hours, my computer is primarily just a source of interaction with the world.
...
-- FORTRAN manual for Xerox Computers --
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