It’s the weekend. And I’m working.
In fact, I work every weekend.
Does that bother me? Nope. I’m making the choice to work right now. I love what I do. But that hasn’t always been the case. For me, I realized that I needed freedom, total autonomy and control over my work. I’ve always challenged authority, and never liked to be told what to do, well, ever.
In hindsight, I should have never tried to work for others. It always felt like swimming upstream – fighting the constant urge to tell my micro-managing boss where to put her orders. Or tell upper management what I really thought about their performance appraisals. For me, the answer was to say ‘Screw it,’ to the nine to five and really make a go of running my own show.
But that’s not necessarily your answer.
There’s a lot of buzz around being an entrepreneur, especially as of late. It’s being touted as the holy mecca of work, the one-size-fits-all solution to the struggle of seeking balance between life and job. It’s seen as a ‘revolution.’
But try this on for size: How about the revolutionary idea of just LOVING your work, regardless of it’s form?
You can love your nine to five job. In fact, you really should.
Aside from the micromanaging, politicking and office gossip, there are a lot of great things that 9 to 5 jobs can give you.
1. Fulfillment
Any work can be fulfilling if it’s the right match.
Regardless of the actual duties that you perform every day, if you’re happy and have a sense of meaning doing the work, then you’re exactly where you should be.
2. A Strong Sense of Accomplishment
Whether you’re checking things off a list, or executing projects that make millions, the act of doing and completing can leave you feeling accomplished.
3. Camaraderie
I don’t miss much about the 9 to 5 I left behind, but what I do miss, is the camaraderie. Coffees. Passing chats about what happened in last night’s Breaking Bad episode. Commiserating about difficult clients.
The amount of time you spend with your office mates can sometimes exceed the amount of time you spend with your own spouse or children. Of course, these people start to become like family and great bonds are built. Also, working towards that collective company vision just further reinforces a we’re-all-in-this-together feeling.
4. Structure/Routine/(Minimal) Surprises
Sure, your 9 to 5 probably isn’t a straight 9 to 5. Sometimes it might be an 8 to 6 or at really busy times, 7 to 9.
But generally speaking, you know what to expect in your schedule. This allows you to be able to make plans that are decently far in the future, unlike an entrepreneur like me who is basically just making it up as she goes along.
5. The Buck Doesn’t Stop with You
Unless you are CEO, the buck really doesn’t stop with you. You can defer to someone in a higher rank to address the more, let’s say, delicate client issues.
If you’re an entrepreneur, the buck stops with you. You have to deal with all the complaints and can’t really rely on the phrase “I’ll escalate this”, well, ever.
6. Steady Income!
Whether you’re paid every two weeks, twice a month (I don’t know how these aren’t the same thing, but apparently they aren’t) or monthly, you can expect to have a check or deposit in your possession on the regular. This makes financial planning much easier.
These are just a few of the reasons that your 9 to 5 is awesome.
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