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Do you enjoy working?
I know people say to do what you love, but it can be hard. How do you balance work and play?
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27 answers
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Susan’s Answer
It took some time before I found a position I loved. Fortunately, working for a large company, I was able to try many different areas so it's been very interesting. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do when I first went to college or when I first found a job, but I discovered it along the way. I kept an open mind in college (at least the first two years) and then focused in on Marketing and Communications. While having some demanding roles throughout my career, I found that being organized was the key. I went to school at night for many years, and was part of outside activities afterwork hours. I made sure that I focused on the most important things at work, at home and for play. Sometimes, I've had to make adjustments and spend more time at work and cancel an outside activity, or sometimes I needed to focus more on family, etc. Key is being flexible and not letting all the things you need to do overwhelm you. Organize, focus and do.
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Preeti’s Answer
1. You definitely need to pick an area of work where you are interested in. Ex: if you are scared of blood, being a doctor might not be the area for you :)
2. Be realistic and see how many and where all are the job opportunities in the field of interest and how much does a starting job pay.
3. Does it require travel and if so, how much.
4. Look for hiring company's ethic and core values. Look for an employer and team who will respect and encourage you.
5. Most important: One may be extremely passionate about a field of work, but one needs to remember that paperwork is a boring part of every job and one needs to adult up and do it.
** For the boring paperwork days: Have other interests and hobbies that fulfill you. Work is just a part of your life.
2. Be realistic and see how many and where all are the job opportunities in the field of interest and how much does a starting job pay.
3. Does it require travel and if so, how much.
4. Look for hiring company's ethic and core values. Look for an employer and team who will respect and encourage you.
5. Most important: One may be extremely passionate about a field of work, but one needs to remember that paperwork is a boring part of every job and one needs to adult up and do it.
** For the boring paperwork days: Have other interests and hobbies that fulfill you. Work is just a part of your life.
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Tyler’s Answer
"AY AY - I'm on vacation every single day because I love my occupation! "Vacation - Dirty Heads
Seriously though. I've always followed my passion for the telecom industry and for learning. 1 small tip - Attitude is sometimes worth more than facts. Your attitude towards your obstacles will either give those obstacles power over you or will grant you the ability to knock them down and to keep 'er movin. The only way to have balance is to set boundaries. Best of luck to you.
Seriously though. I've always followed my passion for the telecom industry and for learning. 1 small tip - Attitude is sometimes worth more than facts. Your attitude towards your obstacles will either give those obstacles power over you or will grant you the ability to knock them down and to keep 'er movin. The only way to have balance is to set boundaries. Best of luck to you.
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Gerson’s Answer
That is a great question, the answer is yes, I enjoy working my advice is check your skills and think about what you love to do or what you feel interest, study and prepare yourself to get a job in what you are passionate about
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Fin’s Answer
I do enjoy working. It's important to be happy in your work as it is difficult to be happy in life in general if you are not happy at work. Sometimes work can be tough but you can get your head down and continue to be productive. If you put your best effort in to work, you will be happy outside of work too.
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Ashley’s Answer
I think it's very important to enjoy what you do for work. But don't let your work define you. Make sure you have interests, passions, hobbies outside of work that fulfill you.
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Aisha’s Answer
Hi Jocelyn,
Thank you for asking. I whole heartedly enjoy the work that I do. Though 8 years may be short for some, I love my career. And working in the mortgage industry has been very rewarding, as I am daily helping others achieve homeownership. Its such a great feeling to hear feedback from my clients that I helped them get their first home, their dream home, investment property etc. It can be struggling at times, but that comes with the business, and I am able to manage my personal life/ work life very well because the company I work for cares about their Team of Professionals.
Thank you for asking. I whole heartedly enjoy the work that I do. Though 8 years may be short for some, I love my career. And working in the mortgage industry has been very rewarding, as I am daily helping others achieve homeownership. Its such a great feeling to hear feedback from my clients that I helped them get their first home, their dream home, investment property etc. It can be struggling at times, but that comes with the business, and I am able to manage my personal life/ work life very well because the company I work for cares about their Team of Professionals.
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Greta’s Answer
Great question! I can tell you that finding enjoyment in your work can be highly motivating and can make it easier to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It's important to find a job or career that aligns with your interests and values, as this can lead to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment.
For me, finding a balance between work and play is crucial for maintaining my overall well-being and productivity. Especially now that I work remotely from home, Mon-Fri, 40+ hrs a week. It's true that doing what you love can be incredibly rewarding, but even enjoyable work can become exhausting if you don't take breaks and engage in other activities outside of work. During the work week, I stick to my calendar, and have a running task list to help prioritize my day. I always try to fit in short 5-15 min stretch breaks when possible. I also schedule 30-60 min exercise sessions in the morning or late afternoon. This helps make my day and work more enjoyable!
And then to balance it out, evenings and weekends are dedicated to family, friends and fun!
For me, finding a balance between work and play is crucial for maintaining my overall well-being and productivity. Especially now that I work remotely from home, Mon-Fri, 40+ hrs a week. It's true that doing what you love can be incredibly rewarding, but even enjoyable work can become exhausting if you don't take breaks and engage in other activities outside of work. During the work week, I stick to my calendar, and have a running task list to help prioritize my day. I always try to fit in short 5-15 min stretch breaks when possible. I also schedule 30-60 min exercise sessions in the morning or late afternoon. This helps make my day and work more enjoyable!
And then to balance it out, evenings and weekends are dedicated to family, friends and fun!
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Alyssa’s Answer
Hi Jocelyn,
For me, I really enjoy working because working makes feel productive, and feeling productive makes me feel good. Working gives you the opportunity to build the muscle of being creative and analytical, and it gives you the opportunity to contribute to something larger than yourself - no matter what field you're in. It gives you a sense of accomplishment that allows you to more thoroughly enjoy the time that you don't spend working. That's where the balance comes in - without work, there is no play.
When you think about what kind of work you want to do in the future, try and identify the things that make you feel good and productive and chase opportunities that satisfy that criteria. The reality is most happy people aren't in their "dream job" - but they are in a job that makes them feel energized by the opportunities to learn, grow, and accomplish new things.
As you start your career, remember that work is not meant to be enjoyable 100% of the time; there are always going to be tasks that you have to do that you don't necessarily love doing (that's why it's called work!). If you can find a path, though, where you enjoy your job at least 75% of time, then I think you will find that the 25% doesn't matter so much in the long run. Enjoy the challenge - it makes life more fun.
For me, I really enjoy working because working makes feel productive, and feeling productive makes me feel good. Working gives you the opportunity to build the muscle of being creative and analytical, and it gives you the opportunity to contribute to something larger than yourself - no matter what field you're in. It gives you a sense of accomplishment that allows you to more thoroughly enjoy the time that you don't spend working. That's where the balance comes in - without work, there is no play.
When you think about what kind of work you want to do in the future, try and identify the things that make you feel good and productive and chase opportunities that satisfy that criteria. The reality is most happy people aren't in their "dream job" - but they are in a job that makes them feel energized by the opportunities to learn, grow, and accomplish new things.
As you start your career, remember that work is not meant to be enjoyable 100% of the time; there are always going to be tasks that you have to do that you don't necessarily love doing (that's why it's called work!). If you can find a path, though, where you enjoy your job at least 75% of time, then I think you will find that the 25% doesn't matter so much in the long run. Enjoy the challenge - it makes life more fun.
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Stacie’s Answer
I love working. I believe that it gives me a structure to my day and helps me to feel accomplished in some way. I was an elementary teacher for 15 years and I loved it at first. When I started not to love it I looked for something else. I found another job that has the same values and beliefs. They are constantly promoting a healthy work-life balance. If they did not, I would start looking for a new job.
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Mark’s Answer
Great questions! I think people that have been in the workforce for years ask these just as much as someone new to it! First, doing what you love can be tricky. While I would love to get paid to play guitar for a living, I really don't want my hobbies to become work. Hobbies are great escapes for me, but I had to think a little deeper to understand what would give me purpose in a career and allow me to pursue my passions outside of work. In my case, I found that analyzing data and collecting insights to help create business strategies is very interesting to me. I'm sure a lot of people reading that last sentence would think "how boring"! Well... I enjoy it and I'm pretty good at it! Knowing this about myself and pursuing jobs within that career field have allowed me to become successful. This in turn, has allowed me to pursue my passions and hobbies outside of work. Not every day at work is a great day. There are some good and some bad. However, enjoying what I do overall makes a huge impact on my overall happiness. I'm sure you can imagine how this ties to the second part of the question on work/life balance. There are days where I work "my schedule" and some that I work "overtime", but those overtime hours are generally important to my work and the teams I support... and when you enjoy what you do... it really doesn't feel like overtime! In those scenarios, you are doing something because you want to, not because you have to.
With all of that said, keep in mind that we work to live, we don't live to work. Sometimes we get so focused that we forget to make time for ourselves, our friends, and our family. Some weeks the balance is there for you and other times you have to create it!
With all of that said, keep in mind that we work to live, we don't live to work. Sometimes we get so focused that we forget to make time for ourselves, our friends, and our family. Some weeks the balance is there for you and other times you have to create it!
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Theresa’s Answer
Hi Jocelyn.
You will hear catch phrases such as "if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life". There is definitely truth in that but I am not sure everyone always loves what they do, all the time. Also, your life will change over time and so may your job. My career is/was always in technology but I have had different roles over time. Balance has also changed. for me. There were times when work was the top priority in my life. I worked 60 or more hours per week. Then there will be other times when my family, had to be top priority. That does not mean that I did not do my job. I did and you will. I just kept my work closer to 40 hours per week during those times. For me, what has helped with finding balance is that I have always worked for a company that offers flexible hours. Let me end with some real life examples. I used to travel for work as a sales person. So on travel days, my days might be long. Especially if there was an airport delay. But other times, I would be working at home, following up with clients. Those days might be shorter. I do not travel anymore. That was my choice. Sometimes this is a little bit less exciting but my day to day is more predictable and that is what I need right now.
You will hear catch phrases such as "if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life". There is definitely truth in that but I am not sure everyone always loves what they do, all the time. Also, your life will change over time and so may your job. My career is/was always in technology but I have had different roles over time. Balance has also changed. for me. There were times when work was the top priority in my life. I worked 60 or more hours per week. Then there will be other times when my family, had to be top priority. That does not mean that I did not do my job. I did and you will. I just kept my work closer to 40 hours per week during those times. For me, what has helped with finding balance is that I have always worked for a company that offers flexible hours. Let me end with some real life examples. I used to travel for work as a sales person. So on travel days, my days might be long. Especially if there was an airport delay. But other times, I would be working at home, following up with clients. Those days might be shorter. I do not travel anymore. That was my choice. Sometimes this is a little bit less exciting but my day to day is more predictable and that is what I need right now.
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Amile’s Answer
That is an interesting question. When you have a job that you don't enjoy, my opinion is that you are in the wrong job. Over my 30-year career, I have truly enjoyed working 28 of them! I can pinpoint times in my career when I was unhappy; it was up to me to be honest with myself that the job was not a good fit, make a plan, and take action. Always remain true to yourself during your career journey.
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Helen’s Answer
I am going to be honest at times the work/life balance gets tricky. You need to remind yourself that while you love your career you do it because you love your family. I stay on task with daily to do lists, weekly, monthly..spending a little time each day for the must do's and working ahead on the upcoming keeps you in a good place so you can balance both career and personal life.
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Jeanmarie’s Answer
Like anything else, there are good and bad days. The good days are great - love them; however, bad days can be beneficial, as well.
Bad days can be turned into learning experiences and teach you how to handle different things. For example, getting on a call that you're not ready for...and get called out for not being ready, which isn't a fun experience. Once you go through that, you learn to be prepared, how to prepare, how to deflect/accept criticism, etc.
That said, I enjoy working...I've met some fantastic coworkers, who I have learned a lot from...and many have turned into friends. I have learned a tremendous amount from working with others and I have also supported many coworkers.
Good luck!
Bad days can be turned into learning experiences and teach you how to handle different things. For example, getting on a call that you're not ready for...and get called out for not being ready, which isn't a fun experience. Once you go through that, you learn to be prepared, how to prepare, how to deflect/accept criticism, etc.
That said, I enjoy working...I've met some fantastic coworkers, who I have learned a lot from...and many have turned into friends. I have learned a tremendous amount from working with others and I have also supported many coworkers.
Good luck!
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Matt’s Answer
Yes - as long as you don't wake up every day dreading your job. You need to find a job that fits what you want in life (work life balance, family, etc). For example, if you want to start a family and want to always be there for your kids as they are growing up, but you have a very demanding job or are always traveling, then that goes against what you want (and might eventually cause frustrations).
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Robyn’s Answer
I love the work I do. I work on marketing technology platforms. The marketing technology automates the campaigns for Verizon Business Group resulting in an increase in income. So the work I do directly impacts the revenue brought in to the company. I get a sense of satisfaction that I am helping the company grow. I'm also working with the latest and greatest technology in the marketing automation space. I love contributing to a greater good. So while working in the marketing technology space is how I earn a living, I really enjoy it. I have time to do some social events in the evening, and my weekends are totally free. If you choose work you are interested in and really enjoy doing, getting up every day to do a job does not feel bad at all. It feels good. And I am earning money to go do the things I love in my spare time. You will do great. Make a list of things you love to do, then think about career categories that might fit. Then explore those career categories with your school counselor. There are interest tests you can take that helps guide you. Also reach out to people in those fields and ask questions about that career path. LinkedIn is a great tool to search for people who are in careers you are interested in. Ask them if you can set up some time with them to learn more about the career. Most people are more than happy to share.
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