In today’s fast-paced world, everyone’s looking to level up. We’re all searching for ways to stand out and promote our strengths.
If anyone sold you on the idea that giving your all to your job was the way to do that, they lied or were severely misinformed themselves.
There are legitimate ways to showcase your talents without giving your life away to your job.
Life Pro Tips
One piece of advice the life pro tips group wants you to know is that constantly saying ‘yes’ when you’re asked to stay late or come in on your day off is setting yourself up to be used.
Most managers are desperate to fill roles left empty by absent employees. When you agree to come in or stay late, you put a target on your back to get a call every time an employee doesn’t show up to work, as long as you can do the same job.
When I worked in the medical field, I often dealt with misplaced guilt if I couldn’t take a shift my manager was desperate to fill. Then I learned that the more I said ‘yes,’ the more they called, and eventually, I was practically living at my job, pulling double shifts and spending 16 hours away from my family every other day.
Life is for Living
While most people equate work with life because everyone has to have some income, there’s no hard and fast rule about how much or how often you have to work.
If you can earn a livable wage doing four hours of work a day instead of eight, why wouldn’t you? Buying into a 40-hour work week when the same job can be accomplished in 20 is pouring your life out for someone else’s gain.
Granted, I understand that not all jobs can get a shortcut. Hospitals, morgues, and banking institutions must be operated, sometimes 24/7; to do that, they need workers. However, if you take a minute to evaluate your job, what you give to it, and what you gain, you may find yourself giving up more than you’re acquiring. This is never the situation you want to find yourself in.
Hopefully, you enjoy what you do; if not, that’s just one more reason to consider a lifestyle change that means less ‘yes’ to your job and more ‘yes’ to yourself.
Social Forums Understand
One person commented on their own experience, having a manager who understood it was “okay to say no.” They delighted in knowing that their work and availability are appreciated.
Another person commented that knowing how to be a good manager was a valuable strength that couldn’t be overlooked.
Still, another user posted some great advice they once got from their manager. “No is a complete sentence. Never set yourself on fire so others can stay warm, and always remember that you don’t need to attend every argument you’re invited to.”
Time Shouldn’t Be Wasted
In the end, only you can decide how much is too much when it comes to working. Some people greatly enjoy working long shifts or pulling extra hours. The point isn’t to stick to a strict schedule but to find a work-life balance that allows you to be fully present for both your work and your life.
Choosing one over the other doesn’t make you wrong and will allow you to develop a steady way of living and avoid burnout. This will lead to more contentment and hopefully more enjoyment no matter how you spend your time.
A Reddit thread inspired this post.
This article is produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
