Of late I am of the opinion that Job Satisfaction is a myth. Having run after trying to find a job which I would enjoy doing and give me a sense of purpose at the end of day for nearly 8 years now, I have become almost a cynic about it. First I wanted to be in IT, once in IT I wanted to be in Java Development. Then realized na its not challenging enough, need to be on the management side of things, so did my MBA and now 4 years after MBA I am still wondering what will be a job that will keep me excited about doing it. No, not all the days but at least the days when I enjoy should be more then the days when I am indifferent or plain sick of it.
Going through that thought process, my latest take is Job Satisfaction is a myth and there is no point in running after that. There are far too many variables which are beyond myimmediate control to render it as an effective source of satisfaction or purpose in life. Plus the biggest variable of money is always there. Will I be able to take a job which pays me half my current salary but is 10 times more challenging, probably no.
This brings me to my next summarization that I should look for my satisfaction outside of my job. Job becomes just a means to provide for the activities which I enjoy doing and want to do without any consideration of money. It may mean that the times I am doing the activity I like may be much less but that time will be free of any considerations. I enjoy my photography the way I do it right now, without any considerations about quality of picture, the kind of message I am trying to convey or any deadlines. If tomorrow I take it as a full time job will I enjoy it that much when I have to work against deadlines and someone will be constantly judging the quality of my output?
Sanskrit has a nice word for job: upjeevika, to split it in 2 words, it becomes “up” which means “sub”, jeevika means “source of life”. Put together it means that job is something which is a sub of my life a secondary part of my life. I do my job so that it allows me to do things which form the main part of my life. It provides me with means and tools to do what I really enjoy doing and want to do. At best its an enabler for the better things in life. Since its my own view, I have to agree on it: If I take the example of my current assignment. I absolutely hate the kind of work I am doing, but still stuck with it for a year. It gave me an opportunity to see this wonderful country: Australia and gave me enough money to buy my Nikon D80. Now that the purpose of visiting down under and buying my Digital SLR is over, I am heading back
And yeah there is one more benefit. Spending time onsite entitles me to some leave which is not part of my annual leave, so I can use it to go on a trip which I am planning for a long time. Doing Data Mapping for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week probably a small price to pay
Going through that thought process, my latest take is Job Satisfaction is a myth and there is no point in running after that. There are far too many variables which are beyond myimmediate control to render it as an effective source of satisfaction or purpose in life. Plus the biggest variable of money is always there. Will I be able to take a job which pays me half my current salary but is 10 times more challenging, probably no.
This brings me to my next summarization that I should look for my satisfaction outside of my job. Job becomes just a means to provide for the activities which I enjoy doing and want to do without any consideration of money. It may mean that the times I am doing the activity I like may be much less but that time will be free of any considerations. I enjoy my photography the way I do it right now, without any considerations about quality of picture, the kind of message I am trying to convey or any deadlines. If tomorrow I take it as a full time job will I enjoy it that much when I have to work against deadlines and someone will be constantly judging the quality of my output?
Sanskrit has a nice word for job: upjeevika, to split it in 2 words, it becomes “up” which means “sub”, jeevika means “source of life”. Put together it means that job is something which is a sub of my life a secondary part of my life. I do my job so that it allows me to do things which form the main part of my life. It provides me with means and tools to do what I really enjoy doing and want to do. At best its an enabler for the better things in life. Since its my own view, I have to agree on it: If I take the example of my current assignment. I absolutely hate the kind of work I am doing, but still stuck with it for a year. It gave me an opportunity to see this wonderful country: Australia and gave me enough money to buy my Nikon D80. Now that the purpose of visiting down under and buying my Digital SLR is over, I am heading back
And yeah there is one more benefit. Spending time onsite entitles me to some leave which is not part of my annual leave, so I can use it to go on a trip which I am planning for a long time. Doing Data Mapping for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week probably a small price to pay
6 comments:
:) So DJ the countdown is already at its peak!
Njoy your much awaited vacation and a trip!
Hope you will be satisfied with your next assignment back in India :)
Nice post.. fraud will totally agree with it!! As for me, job satisfaction is elusive esp when the money factor comes in.. there are a ton of stuff that we all enjoy doing but if done as a profession will probably pay pittance.. One way to see it I think to slog for a yrs at something that will provide monetary cushion and then maybe pursue things that are closer to the heart and potentially more satisfying... :)
but, you know, at the end of the day.. as much as you want to seperate personal and professional lives and make the latter just the means for a good former.. how is it possible to avoid overruns when 80% of our waking time is spent on working??? Fraud gives me the same logic that u do.. but after 5 yrs of working, I feel that unless you truly believe that the job does not make a whole lot of difference to you other than paycheck and you don't have major goals.. it's difficult to be indifferent to it..
saale dhanno.... i taught u this very same lesson for 2 full years from 2002-2004 and then on and off when we chatted but u still dint learn!! but hey... better late than never!!!! btw wats ur vacation plan????
Asha, not to say that one should be indifferent to the job they are doing. Especially since we have put in so much effort to get there in first place. My point is it shouldn't be the only source of satisfaction in our lives. There is more to life then job, promotions and pay cheques. We should be able to enjoy the other things in life more.
Fraud, me and Ketya are going on a trip to "Valley of Flowers"
hum panchi ek Daal ke! :)
People should understand definition of job:
Job: A task which you are paid to do, immaterial of whether u like it or not, however management may show consideration for ur dissatisfaction and make every attempt to take the dissatisfaction level to saturation so that you start another search for the same.
No management differs and not most of the people.
Advise:
If u dont want to fall in that trap :
Earn money by doing 8 hrs a day ..and live the life after office hours
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