Working Overtime
In my last post, ‘Why You Need a Vacation from Your Vacation‘ I talked about the need for balance and rest in your life.
I recently had to bring my car in for service and while I had a loaner for a few days, I realized that the service guys work 6 days a week! Actually, most people in the dealership and service center work 6 days a week. I found that to be an extraordinary commitment to the company.
I asked a Manager if he loved his job and he said, “Love, that’s not a word I like to throw around casually. I love my dog…and like my job.” He went on to say it’s what’s he’s been doing for many years, since college, it’s what he knows and is compensated fairly.
But I wonder, how does someone find balance with only 1 day off a week? Even if all employees receive very fair compensation, how and when would they be able to enjoy that income?
Many Entrepreneurs tend to work overtime in the beginning, to establish their business(es). I often work 5-7 days a week, but I am able to set my own schedule. And, there’s an added benefit to working for yourself, in that, you are working for yourself! All those hours put in, are to directly benefit your business, which ultimately benefits YOU. There’s also an added sense of pride, joy and freedom when completing a task. Even though starting your own business means you’ll often take a pay cut to begin, your energy and effort will be your own, driven by your dreams and inspiration. (Not your boss’s needs.)
So, I ask you, do you love what you do? Would you do it for free? If the answer is no, why not?
A morbid thought, but one to think about, if you knew you were going to die within the year, would you do anything different? Would you quit your job and take a long awaited and needed vacation? Would you spend more time with your family? Would you move to another city?
At the end of your days, will your boss be by your bedside thanking you for your contribution? Would you even want your boss there? A career need not define your life. Actually, it’s quite the opposite! Your life and the enjoyment of it; experiencing love, family, friends, adventure, and many lessons learned, can help define your life’s path. Let your skills and natural abilities guide and lead you on a path that will fulfill you. And if there’s something you’ve always wanted to learn, go take a class and let that YEARNING guide you too.
You CAN love your job. You CAN love going to work and contributing your skills and being of service. You CAN love working 6 days a week! It’s all possible. The questions I ask are, do you truly love where you work? Do you truly feel you have enough time for yourself? Do you truly know what you need to be happy? Start there.
Please, remember, you chose to be here. To LIVE, to LOVE, and have experiences. To work, yes, and to ENJOY! And, eventually your work won’t feel like ‘work’ because you will love it! If you’re not enjoying life, more often than not, please know you have the ability to change that. Choose to love your life! You deserve it!
‘Til next time, thanks for reading and choose to love yourself, to love your life! 🙂