Recently at work I was ask the question "do I enjoy my job?" For most of us that would be a simple question, but it caused me to do a lot of reflecting. So...I thought I would share some of my thoughts.
Over the past few years, I have discovered that seeking enjoyment in our job really cannot be found. The job will never provide the enjoyment that any of us seek. That is the real mystery. Many of us might say we do but there was something or someone that prevented us from enjoying it more. “If only I could do this…" “If only this person did this…" The list would go on all falsely claiming that if somehow this one thing was fixed, then I would truly enjoy my job. But the reality is that if you correct that one thing something else would fill its place. After leaving management, I realized that the one big mistake that I made was attempting to fix every complaint my staff had. Instead of only dealing with those that were personnel issues around competency and conduct. After the fact, I realized that most people needed to complain at some point to deal with stress. Some more than others, in fact, there are some people that would not enjoy their job if they didn’t have something to complain about.
True lasting enjoyment will not come from the job. What we do is temporal at best? It effects the immediate, the next few days, months and perhaps years. But few of us will have a lasting effect 50 years from now except with our children. Most of us have a need to feel we are contributing and then mistakenly assume that contributing translates to enjoyment. Enjoyment is a gift from God and cannot be found in things or activities. Look around, why are so many people in our society chasing after material possessions and once they have them still can’t enjoy them. Why are so many people driven by ambition to climb the corporate ladder and once they get the title still can’t enjoy life. Seeking enjoyment in our work can be a dangerous motive.
With all that said, it seems to me the question really should be “Are you content with your job?" Contentment is a byproduct of God’s gift of enjoyment. Contentment with your job allows you to deal with the ever-changing workload. Contentment allows you to deal with the discrepancies of your fellow employees. Contentment allows you to handle the unknown with a smile. Contentment with the job translates to contentment with all of one’s life. That then makes dealing with the stress much easier. Anger is less likely to find a home in the heart of the content person. I know my answer is more philosophy based than personal but that is who I am. I want to approach life as a whole and over the last few job changes I have learned a lot about the true source of enjoyment. That source is my relationship and commitment to Christ.
Am I saying that you can't enjoy your job? Absolutely not, I am saying that enjoying your job will come through the committment to Christ and His blessings. We can not acheive it by what we do on the job, though our society would tell you otherwise. We need to strive towards contentment which produces enjoyment, but we need to realize that comes from God and seeking Him. It does not come from being a workaholic.
(originally written 3/15/2007)
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