Thursday, May 2, 2013

Why are we okay with jobs that don’t celebrate us?



This week we are chatting about JOBS. I was talking with my boyfriend about this particular topic over the weekend. We realized that we know a handful of people who really love their jobs; these are people who have jobs that fit their personalities and are in an environment created to help them be successful. We also know a bunch of people who really, really struggle with their jobs.

Struggling sometimes is okay. That is what growth is all about. It is how we are challenged to do better, to think differently, and to solve problems. It’s a lot like the stress/boredom tipping point. You need some stress to keep from being bored. You need to feel some strain to stay engaged with your job, BUT I think that a lot of people have moved way beyond the tipping point in their work.

My boyfriend pointed out that sometimes your job can be like an unhealthy relationship. I had never thought of it that way. We are incredibly unwilling to settle for second best in a relationship. We want to be with someone who appreciates us for who we are. We want to feel at ease with and supported by them. We want to know that we can count on them and that he/she/zhe sees our special qualities. At the same time, we are willing to put up with a ton of ridiculousness and stress for a pay check. 

I know that I have been in horrible job situations for much longer than I would have ever been in a relationship like that. Yet I stayed, afraid to move on, as can be the tendency with some unhealthy relationships. Maybe we are socialized to expect less from our jobs, to accept less from our work environments. HOWEVER, we need to recognize that is NOT okay and to do something about it. We deserve to be celebrated in all aspects of our lives, including our jobs. We spend enough time there!

Have you stayed in an unhealthy work environment? What made you leave? What did you look for with your next job?

-          Lauren, Advocate for Healthy Work Environments that Celebrate Us!      

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