Does work make you happy?

Blue_Wolf

We spend the majority of our time working. So it's important to do work that not only you enjoy but believe in. As in...there's a purpose and the results of your work are seen and you feel you have made a difference.

Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to work as much. If we were more productive as a nation and a little bit more competitive. Would it not be possible to have more time off and live our lives?

Is it not depressing that we don't have time, can't make time or just too tired to live and love?

Affable

I hate work tbh. I like poetry, travle, football etc. Work, nope.

X1R

Work got so bad and I was being bullied so much that back in May I tried
to shoot my boss. I am working in a small retail shop in the midlands and being bullied and everything that went along with it just flicked a switch and I cut loose.
Now, top that one !!!!
And if ye don't belive it's true I have the reciepts from the anger management course, psychiatrist and GP.

Blue_Wolf

Perhaps a 3 hour lunch break would be nice..if you lived near work?
2 days off per week and they are over faster than a monday is...not fair!

If only you could do poetry and sell some to keep you going through life, that would be nice

Affable wrote: »

I hate work tbh. I like poetry, travel, football etc. Work, nope.

Can you scan to email?

X1R wrote: »

And if ye don't belive it's true I have the reciepts from the anger management course, psychiatrist and GP.

Starfox

X1R wrote: »

Work got so bad and I was being bullied so much that back in May I tried
to shoot my boss. I am working in a small retail shop in the midlands and being bullied and everything that went along with it just flicked a switch and I cut loose.
Now, top that one !!!!
And if ye don't belive it's true I have the reciepts from the anger management course, psychiatrist and GP.

Dude! stop working then or go find yourself something that will make you happy, get out of an environment that does this to you.

If your in a situation or working for wherever and its going nowhere, you need to make some goals, goals kick ass!

Im curently in a call cantre (right now) and ive to listen to angry customers (because happy ones dont need to call in) all day long, and of course i am the sole reason for them having a bad day! so to say that nagging people in my ear all day is stressfull...well you get the deal.

Now if i was to have no plans and no goals and just keep coming in here everyday in this stressful enviroment things would be depressing, i have set goals, im going back to college to a music college to study music, because i love music! and i want to work in that industry because i believe in getting up and going for what you rteally want! So to answer to thread question.... not right now but give me time

Pyr0

Starfox wrote: »

Im curently in a call cantre (right now) and ive to listen to angry customers (because happy ones dont need to call in) all day long, and of course i am the sole reason for them having a bad day! so to say that nagging people in my ear all day is stressfull...well you get the deal./QUOTE]

I hear ya ! Sitting her bored out of my mind listening to the same stuff over and over again, drives you insane after awhile !

X1R

I have goals alright but where I am heading is a long process.
I got married 12 months ago last April and have built a house on Dad's land, My wife (whom I adore) is due in 5 weeks (cannot wait).
Everything is going well outside of the hours 9-6.
I am from the mid west and jobs aren't exactly tripping us up.:rolleyes:

Dades

Work isn't supposed to make you happy. It wouldn't be called "work" otherwise, and you wouldn't be getting paid to do it. If you enjoy your work and it pays the bills you are a lucky individual.

The dream job is doing something that you would be doing anyway if you had €100M in the bank.

Blue_Wolf

I suppose we can all dream on?

ntlbell

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

I suppose we can all dream on?

or just work less and adjust your lifestyle to suit your means?

X1R

It is a pain to be saying but "At least I have a job", that is about all I can be thinking until the future unveils what path I take.
Ya gotta keep pluggin though.....:cool:

cathysworld

I dont particularly like my (office) job but when Im unemployed its a worse feeling!

Affable

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

If only you could do poetry and sell some to keep you going through life, that would be nice

Nice, yeah, but not that realistic.

Joey the lips

I loved my work. Really did! and i was in bathrooms and plumbing. I was devestated when I lost my job and I am p1ssed I am having difficulity finding another.

If you dont enjoy your job try your dam best to get one you do. Its sh1tty giving one third of your waking like to samething you hate, I think you would achieve more in jail. At least you can read and learn there,

Blue_Wolf

Feels a lot more than a 3rd of my waking..uh shudder.

philologos

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to work as much. If we were more productive as a nation and a little bit more competitive. Would it not be possible to have more time off and live our lives?

Is it not depressing that we don't have time, can't make time or just too tired to live and love?

This is a contradiction of terms. To become more productive, people will generally have the work longer. The same for being more competitive. More competitive would also mean a severe cut in wages for many.

Some people are workaholics, some people are not.

Blue_Wolf

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

We spend the majority of our time working. So it's important to do work that not only you enjoy but believe in. As in...there's a purpose and the results of your work are seen and you feel you have made a difference.

Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to work as much. If we were more productive as a nation and a little bit more competitive. Would it not be possible to have more time off and live our lives?

Is it not depressing that we don't have time, can't make time or just too tired to live and love?

Life is too short to be stuck in a job or profession hating it. Even having no emotion about it isn't enough. I did Debt Recovery/Collection for close to 14 years, and hated most of my time in it. But I was qualified for this, and its where I got the best income. But then I realised how much of a drain it was on my life, and I made the break. Switched to teaching english in China for a while, and that gave me the time to understand what I wanted to do.

So I'll never work full-time in an industry I don't enjoy. Working in an Internet cafe right now, and enjoying it somewhat. But that's only for a year, and then I'm free to go back to China.

Find work you enjoy and life will be better. Stay in work you dislike/hate and you're going to be miserable and make people around you miserable.

ChocolateSauce

I haven't started my career yet, not done with learning the trade. But of the jobs I've had, the only one I hated was working in a car park. It was mind-numbingly boring and some of the people there, who were perfectly nice, had been working in this job for over 20 years. I quit after 2 months because I could feel my brain turning to mush.

Although I was being paid minimum wage, I felt like I should have been earning less considering the task I was doing.

I enjoyed my customer service jobs. I liked helping people with our crappy products and chatting to them.

When I start working for real, I'll probably be either teaching or concocting elixirs in a lab somewhere....

SLUSK

Jakkass wrote: »

This is a contradiction of terms. To become more productive, people will generally have the work longer. The same for being more competitive. More competitive would also mean a severe cut in wages for many.

Some people are workaholics, some people are not.

To become more productive you have to do more in less time.

chocgirl

SLUSK wrote: »

To become more productive you have to do more in less time.

Or just do more in general without decreasing time.

Answering the initial question I enjoy work some of the time, I find it stressful a lot of the time.

I do feel that I have made a difference at the end of the day and have done something worthwhile with my day and I think this is why a lot of people "enjoy" work. It's not the actual work, it's the end product whatever that may be.

Blue_Wolf

I'm sorry I fail to see your point. We work say average 8-9hours per day. Most of that is sitting around doing nothing which can result in de-motivation.

Productivity has nothing to do with the amount of time you work, it's to do with what you do within that time frame

If we worked 5hours instead and actually gave more to our job that would be more productive.

Look at people who have been in their job 15-20years, have a family, they around the age of 45 or so. They don't give a toss about their job and they dont believe in doing it well...why? they have the attitude of they cant fire me. Get rid of them, get someone in thats younger, will work fewer hours. You hve just increased the productivity of the company.

Jakkass wrote: »

This is a contradiction of terms. To become more productive, people will generally have the work longer. The same for being more competitive. More competitive would also mean a severe cut in wages for many.

Some people are workaholics, some people are not.

Blue_Wolf

Would you not prefer to more in less time?

chocgirl wrote: »

Or just do more in general without decreasing time.

Answering the initial question I enjoy work some of the time, I find it stressful a lot of the time.

I do feel that I have made a difference at the end of the day and have done something worthwhile with my day and I think this is why a lot of people "enjoy" work. It's not the actual work, it's the end product whatever that may be.

chocgirl

Definitely, but that would equate to less money for most people. I was just pointing out that if you worked a little bit harder over the course of the working day it will still increase productivity.

Agree that there are a lot of people who become less and less productive the longer they are in a job.

Blue_Wolf

You won't necessarily get paid less. Considering the job is been done but just in less time. I remember a job of mine 5 years ago there was this lad who got paid double the work of anyone else even though he had the same title. Point is that he did twice the amount of work. If he called in sick they would have to get 2 lads in to cover him.

Don't play the descrimination card. There are a lot of employers out there offering jobs and pay is based on experience. So this happens everywhere.

I see your point though

chocgirl wrote: »

Definitely, but that would equate to less money for most people. I was just pointing out that if you worked a little bit harder over the course of the working day it will still increase productivity.

Agree that there are a lot of people who become less and less productive the longer they are in a job.

It wouldn't matter if the number of hours working changed. People adapt. If they're not enjoying the work, it won't matter if its 5 hours or 10 hours, either way they won't be putting true effort into the activity. You're too hung up on time.

The problem is the interest people have in their professions. Many people work in an area because they fell into it by accident, or chose it when they were young before they had any real understanding of what it entailed. And because its what they've already invested time in, they can't see themselves doing anything else. Simply put most people are afraid to move away and seek employment that they have an interest in and will enjoy.

If a person enjoys their work most of the time, then productivity will be constant, with only slight deviations depending on personal lives/inter-work relationships. If a person doesn't enjoy their work, they'll be dragging their heals continuously.

Blue_Wolf

You make a fair point.

But the main topic of this thread is proving that it is possible to work fewer hours while still maintaining good productivity. We spend too much of our time working and not enjoying our lives.

And why is there nothing to do on your day off? Because your friends are in work.

Blue_Wolf

Blue_Wolf wrote: »

You make a fair point.

But the main topic of this thread is proving that it is possible to work fewer hours while still maintaining good productivity. We spend too much of our time working and not enjoying our lives.

Well.. unless you're introducing some new form of performance enhancing drugs, its not going to be possible in the long term. Short increases in productivity can occur with pay rises, or other such bonuses, but people adapt to their circumstances, and those improvements will always lose effect over time.

The only way to work fewer hours while maintaining good productivity would require the enjoyment/interest of the person involved in their type work, and an ability focus on their work avoiding distractions. And employees are very adept at finding any manner of distractions to avoid working.

And why is there nothing to do on your day off? Because your friends are in work.

Really? Most of my friends worked in offices, schools, or government areas, which meant they worked roughly Monday - Friday, usually 8.30 - 6 pm. I worked longer hours, but my days off matched theirs. As for something to do, thats a personal problem unrelated to working... I've always found plenty to occupy my time, despite not being interested in sports, the pub, etc.

Look. Lets be perfectly honest here. You don't have time free because of your chosen profession and the style of life you want to achieve. If you want more time to mess around, pick a job that requires less time worked. But understand the payoff, unless you're particularly intelligent or skilled to have a low hours/high pay job. Expecting anything more is unrealistic, because you yourself are unwilling to make such a move.

irish_bob

Deleted User wrote: »

Well.. unless you're introducing some new form of performance enhancing drugs, its not going to be possible in the long term. Short increases in productivity can occur with pay rises, or other such bonuses, but people adapt to their circumstances, and those improvements will always lose effect over time.

The only way to work fewer hours while maintaining good productivity would require the enjoyment/interest of the person involved in their type work, and an ability focus on their work avoiding distractions. And employees are very adept at finding any manner of distractions to avoid working.



Really? Most of my friends worked in offices, schools, or government areas, which meant they worked roughly Monday - Friday, usually 8.30 - 6 pm. I worked longer hours, but my days off matched theirs. As for something to do, thats a personal problem unrelated to working... I've always found plenty to occupy my time, despite not being interested in sports, the pub, etc.

Look. Lets be perfectly honest here. You don't have time free because of your chosen profession and the style of life you want to achieve. If you want more time to mess around, pick a job that requires less time worked. But understand the payoff, unless you're particularly intelligent or skilled to have a low hours/high pay job. Expecting anything more is unrealistic, because you yourself are unwilling to make such a move.

very few goverment offices workers work from 8.30 to 6 pm , the majority of them have a 9.30 am to 4.30 pm day with a break for lunch from 12.30 to 2 pm

chocgirl

Deleted User wrote: »

It wouldn't matter if the number of hours working changed. People adapt. If they're not enjoying the work, it won't matter if its 5 hours or 10 hours, either way they won't be putting true effort into the activity. You're too hung up on time.

The problem is the interest people have in their professions. Many people work in an area because they fell into it by accident, or chose it when they were young before they had any real understanding of what it entailed. And because its what they've already invested time in, they can't see themselves doing anything else. Simply put most people are afraid to move away and seek employment that they have an interest in and will enjoy.

If a person enjoys their work most of the time, then productivity will be constant, with only slight deviations depending on personal lives/inter-work relationships. If a person doesn't enjoy their work, they'll be dragging their heals continuously.

Don't think it's necessarily the interest people have in work that decreases their productivity over time. I think some people just get complacent, even if they enjoy their work. Have seen this time and time again in jobs. Certainly workers who hate their jobs to begin with are probably less productive than those who love work.

As an aside working less hours for the same pay may be great in theory but problems could arise.
I could easily switch to a job where I was working less hours than I am now and still getting the same pay. I wouldn't though as I'd need more money to keep myself occupied with my increased free-time then. That's just my situation though but I suspect a lot of young people may feel the same.

Blue_Wolf

There are plenty of things we can do to amuse ourselves without having to pay for. Popular one for women would be window shopping. For me it would have to be my xbox :pac:

irish_bob

irish_bob wrote: »

very few goverment offices workers work from 8.30 to 6 pm , the majority of them have a 9.30 am to 4.30 pm day with a break for lunch from 12.30 to 2 pm

I was using the time frame in a broad sense, since I was including friends in government offices right through to teachers. And you might be suprised if you were to check how many of these people work hours outside of the stated office hours. Its not that much different than business hours in a way. There is the perception that working outside of the main office hours generates more approval from superiors.

Babooshka

Deleted User wrote: »

Life is too short to be stuck in a job or profession hating it. Even having no emotion about it isn't enough. I did Debt Recovery/Collection for close to 14 years, and hated most of my time in it. But I was qualified for this, and its where I got the best income. But then I realised how much of a drain it was on my life, and I made the break. Switched to teaching english in China for a while, and that gave me the time to understand what I wanted to do.

So I'll never work full-time in an industry I don't enjoy. Working in an Internet cafe right now, and enjoying it somewhat. But that's only for a year, and then I'm free to go back to China.

Find work you enjoy and life will be better. Stay in work you dislike/hate and you're going to be miserable and make people around you miserable.

...Well, I hear what you're saying and I know what you mean, but you are saying it took you 14 years to evolve and want to change it enough to move. I have no sense of purpose in my job. I used to but having my hands tied and being a "yes" woman to big men in suits has made me feel apathetic and I hate to admit, a bit bitter in the current situation because I am not qualified and therefore scared to leave my job so I feel trapped. How long more I stay here though is inevitably down to my threshold for crap and how much longer my built in patience clock runs out and I want it badly enough to change it.

Hopefully I won't have to try shoot someone before that though :eek:
But some days I could. I know work's suposed to be a chore and that's ok, but going home anxious about going in the next day is more than what you're paid for. It can spoil all your free time too.

Babooshka

Babooshka wrote: »

...Well, I hear what you're saying and I know what you mean, but you are saying it took you 14 years to evolve and want to change it enough to move.

No, actually when it comes down to it, it took me three weeks. I just made the decision that I needed to change, and I booked my flights out of Ireland the same day. Three weeks later I was in Australia doing completely different work, although not different enough in the end. But that was just me.

I never knew what I wanted from work. I did Computer Science in College simply because I got the points, and when I failed that I picked a totally generic qualification of Business to complete. It took me 14 years to decide what i didn't want to do.. through experience.

You might come to these realisations quicker than I did. I tend to pick the most difficult ways of doing things.

I have no sense of purpose in my job. I used to but having my hands tied and being a "yes" woman to big men in suits has made me feel apathetic and I hate to admit, a bit bitter in the current situation because I am not qualified and therefore scared to leave my job so I feel trapped. How long more I stay here though is inevitably down to my threshold for crap and how much longer my built in patience clock runs out and I want it badly enough to change it.

Hopefully I won't have to try shoot someone before that though :eek:
But some days I could. I know work's suposed to be a chore and that's ok, but going home anxious about going in the next day is more than what you're paid for. It can spoil all your free time too.

So find out what you want to do, and take that risk. Otherwise, ten years down the line you'll probably be even more bitter about the circumstances of your working life.

Babooshka

Thanks for the advice. I know I have to change it before it kills me inside.
There's an expo on educational courses in RDS this weekend - think I'll take myself off to that.

Goduznt Xzst

Came across this and thought it was relevant :pac:

I'm a teacher and I love my job, though it can be tough and emotionally draining, and there's tons of work to do outside paid hours, it's great craic. And it's not about the holidays either! I was bored three weeks into the summer and can't wait to go back!! The fact that I'll be getting paid again is also a bonus, since i dont have a contract where i work!!:pac:

I'm just so happy I've found a career that makes me glad to go to work in the morning. even if "the fear" sometimes strikes on a Sunday night!!

Sleepy

My father taught me that the key to a happy life is finding someone to pay you to do something you love...

Unfortunately he taught me that after I'd already finished a college course in order to get a job in something reasonably paid and by the time I got around to trying to change things, "real life" got in the way. Changing careers when you've a family to support is a much harder thing to do than deciding to jet off around the world when you're young, free and single.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate my job but I wouldn't say it adds anything to my life besides a paycheck either.

Greyfox

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

Came across this and thought it was relevant

That's how I feel in my absolutely boreing job! I don't like my job but I don't really hate it either and I think most people are stuck in that middle ground of "it pays the bills"! I always thought I'd eventually figure out what I "wanted to do" but I've finally accepted that this will never happen...I'm almost 5 years working here and like red in the Shawshank Redemption I'm intutionalised and reckon I'm stuck here for life...but then again in these times I'm happy and lucky to still have a job!

ciagr297

at the start, my current job did make me happy. i was extremely busy and the learning curve was steep. now(1yr 8mths later), i don't feel challenged at all. in fact, i'm having more days now where i don't want to come to work. this is a pattern for me, so i reckon its time to heave ho and see what else is around.
ideally i'd love to have a job that makes me happy 80% of the time but being realistic, thats not going to happen so at least i can be happy to have a permanent well paid job

Babooshka

ciagr297 wrote: »

at the start, my current job did make me happy. i was extremely busy and the learning curve was steep. now(1yr 8mths later), i don't feel challenged at all. in fact, i'm having more days now where i don't want to come to work. this is a pattern for me, so i reckon its time to heave ho and see what else is around.
ideally i'd love to have a job that makes me happy 80% of the time but being realistic, thats not going to happen so at least i can be happy to have a permanent well paid job

I think in the current climate lots of people feel the same way, as a lot of businesses are quieter. I know I share your feelings too. But I'm trying to think of this as a stop gap and a chance to upskill while I'm working.
Who knows what's around the corner - you might love your next job?
One thing I read in several books which I do find helps is to try and be in every moment, to really apply yourself.

I have such boring tasks (if any) to do sometimes now that I sometimes find it hard, but I find it works, it helps you feel better about yourself and whatever the task is, it doesn't matter really. It's the general feeling of having done your best, and just helps me feel a bit better about where I'm at. Anyway I hope everyone who feels disillusioned (including me) by their job finds a better vocation soon.

tech77

Dades wrote: »

Work isn't supposed to make you happy. It wouldn't be called "work" otherwise, and you wouldn't be getting paid to do it. If you enjoy your work and it pays the bills you are a lucky individual.

The dream job is doing something that you would be doing anyway if you had €100M in the bank.

I find this difficult to accept.
I understand the term work as merely meaning "being productive".
I find it hard to accept that a productive state necessarily means that it's not an enjoyable one.

Well I'm 21 and I've had two full time jobs and a part time job.

Both full time jobs I got really fed up with within two weeks of working in them. One was on a production line (mind numbingly boring) and one was making kitchens.

The kitchen making job wasn't too bad, but it got dull quickly, though it wasn't too bad some days.


The part time job was with Dunnes and it lasted about a year or so, and i didn't mind it for the most part, but towards the end when they started giving me full time hours, I got sick of it.


Over the last year I've just been doing FAS courses. I think they're great. Full-time hours, but they're fun, you can have a bit of a laugh in them and they only last a few months. I don't think I'll ever work a full time job in my life unless it turns out to be something i absolutely love or I'm desperately stuck for cash.

I'd rather be unemployed with f-ck all money in my pocket but be able to get through the week being happy enough, than go to a full time job, have a fair bit of money in my pocket and feel miserable.


Unfortunately for me, I have absolutely no idea whatsoever what I want to do with my life, work wise.

SeekUp

While my work doesn't make me happy, I'm often happy at work.

The work environment makes such a difference for me -- the actual work space, my colleagues, the non-financial perks -- that I can deal with the day-to-day tasks that I would hate otherwise.