While browsing Instagram today I came across a quote that said “find who you are and then be that”. That message inspired this post today because it drove me to do some soul searching. Those of you , who are committed to a 9-5 schedule like me may be having the same struggles that i am having. For a few months i have been wrestling with the repetitive nature of my job to the point that I feel like i am not myself anymore. Working in the service industry calls for a certain personality/ attitude so in a sense your real personality is suppressed for 8 hrs each day. One of the unfortunate facts of adulthood is that money is central to our existence, but does that mean we should sacrifice our mental stability to get paid?
Money is central to maintaining a certain lifestyle, but how do we decide what we are worth and how much we are willing to compromise to achieve such lifestyle? We sometimes get stuck working for people who do not respect or value our time and companies that contradict our beliefs. Sometimes we sacrifice living and truly enjoying our lives for a paycheck that does not offer us any sort of stability. For instance, a recent report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) showed that an individual working at minimum wage is not able to afford a one bedroom apartment at market rate. Individuals without degrees or education beyond high school often times depend on lower wage jobs to support their families. These individuals are not able to afford vacations, sick leave or maternity leaves, so they end up taking less time to recover from illnesses in order to not lose hours at work. Many studies have shown that there is a link between the amount of vacation/ personal days taken and quality of life. I have worked the same job for a few years now, and although i am in a management position it has become a burden as there is not room for growth. I have a carefree spirit so it is difficult to suppress my innate need to grow and change with time.
So my questions to you are as follows: What are you willing to sacrifice to earn a paycheck? How do you decide when it is time to move on to your next Job? and most importantly, how do you decide what your time is worth?