Is Your Work A Waste of Your Time?
Do you feel like you are getting a good return for the time you are investing in your work? Or, is the only thing that you are getting from your work in return for your time, energy, talent and skills is just a paycheck?
If you are like most people, you have experiences in your life that have left you regretting the time you invested in them.
The two most common time investments that are a cause of regret are jobs and relationships.
When jobs and relationships fail to work out, we regret the time we invested because it is something we can not recover and we may be left without anything of value for our investment.
In my own experience, and some of my clients have mentioned this as well, I have taken a job to meet my immediate need for income; and often took the best job in terms of monetary compensation that was available to me. After leaving that job I found myself regretting the time that I had invested in the position as all that it brought to me was essentially a paycheck. Like so many other positions that we take for not necessarily the wrong reasons, but also not the right ones; this ended up costing me a lot more than it gave to me. At one position I endured a very toxic workplace resulting in stress induced health issues. Others left me with out any additional marketable skills that I could build on. I essentially left the experience with the same level of skill that I entered. The time spent on the job did not offer me any additional opportunities to expand my current skill level, learn new ones or receive any additional or beneficial training.
Often, we end up giving time to a job that could have been better spent in another position that benefits our experience, and lets us build on existing training, elevating us to the next level on our career path.
The biggest problem that we often face is caused by failing to take into consideration the potential cost to us in terms of our time. If the investment fails to bring a positive value to our lives, the cost in time is incalculable.
Time is our most precious and valued resource. Since none of us know just how much time we do have it is important to consider how we spend the time that is allotted to us.
We can minimize the risk of poorly managed time and maximize our investment returns by being clear on what we want or need from a job.
Consider that if all a job is giving is a paycheck, then you are being underpaid and undervalued. When looking for a new career path or job consider other important life factors in the process.
What industry or career are you interested in or actively pursuing?
Does this position help to meet other important needs in your life?
o Emotional/Social
o Support/Training
o Healthy work/life balance
o On-going education
What opportunities for advancement are available to you? Is there room to grow in this company?
Will the skills and experience from this position support future goals and be something that can build on in future jobs?
Take the time to consider what you are getting from your work in exchange for your time and talents and weigh this against what doing this work will cost you over time.
Knowing that our time is well spent is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. A life made up of good experiences and pleasant memories.
Have a great week!