Work-life balance is crucial to our well-being, and while most people would claim that they’ve got their life together and are doing pretty good for themselves as far as employment is concerned, the vast majority of individuals are settling for less fulfilling work and underestimate the negative impact it has on their health. Plus, once we take into account that we are still in the middle of a global pandemic and can’t afford to go elsewhere for work but stay inside, the work stress can definitely get on your nerves and do far worse in the long run.
And so, today, we’d like to go over the notion of striving for more creative and fulfilling jobs and just how you can accomplish this goal in your life despite the challenges and not-so-pleasant circumstances you face today. Moreover, we’ll also be touching base with some fun alternatives you can try as well to help buffer and complement all the hard work you’re putting in to make the transition.
Expect The Following To Berate You, All-Day Long
To put things into context, it’s just that we first address the elephant in the room of what such harmful effects you should expect to bother you left, right, and center if you leave any employment issues and work stress unaddressed. And as you can probably tell, there’s no leeway for a positive end because (1) you’ll find it extremely hard to concentrate on anything and (2) constantly feel fatigued but can’t get any rest due to FOMO.
- Inability To Concentrate And Focus: You’ve probably experienced that nagging feeling at the back of your mind just constantly hammering down on your brain when you’re just trying to finish a deadline or watching some Netflix. And that very feeling is the inability to concentrate and focus already manifesting because all the work-life conflict is eliciting negative emotions, making it impossible to get anything done, be it recreational or work-related.
- Fatigue Compounded By FOMO: It’s only natural to have some challenging workdays on your calendar, but once work-related stress has reached its peak and starts spilling over to all aspects of your life, the fatigue will start to feel unbearable. Normally, fulfilling work would make an effort expended feel worthwhile, but in the case of work that isn’t fulfilling, no matter how much work you get done and how tired you’ll feel after, that fatigue will only be compounded by the dread of FOMO and missing deadlines.
Find Work That Inspires You To Work Hard
Therefore, given the situation you will find yourself in, as mentioned above, it’s imperative that you find work that inspires you to test your limits without having to recuperate any external motivation. Work should feel good, and while the pay-off might not be realized as fast as we’d want, it’s the wait and build-up that make it feel valuable and fulfilling.
- Intrinsic Motivation Is Key To Success: One way of telling if you’ve found a job that’s creative and fulfilling is the presence of intrinsic motivation when the pushing factor that’s keeping you on your toes doesn’t come from external sources but from the inside. And while that might sound like something that’s impossible, it could already have been hiding underneath your gaze in the form of your love for numbers or natural inclination for music.
- It Doesn’t Have To Be A Full-Time Position: Furthermore, you shouldn’t exclude options just because they don’t offer a full-time position; even side hustles and part-time opportunities can offset the worst of work-related stress. So, if you’ve had a business idea pushed back to the back of your mind for quite some time now or a YouTube channel you’ve been planning to start, don’t let the misunderstanding of “starting too late” hold you back.
You Also Deserve A Pat On The Back Now And Then
Lastly, it doesn’t hurt to reward yourself with a gift or cheat meal now and then because we all deserve to experience those fleeting blissful moments. Sure, there’s plenty of merit to spending only on the essentials and keeping yourself busy with the functional aspect of life, but there’s more to living than just being strict and straightforward.
Having fun and enjoying yourself is just as important as thinking about your future and practicing some introspection, and while many of us think we’re doing enough to keep your happiness in check, you’ll be surprised at how little we actually achieve. So, take that road trip, go on that hike, and buy that electric back massager you’ve been ogling at because your body’s been aching and been tense for the past days.
A Well-Balanced Lifestyle Includes Fulfilling Employment
In conclusion, we want to remind everyone that a well-balanced lifestyle denotes that we include fulfilling employment to our list of must-haves because pushing ourselves to do something we’re not up for is just not sustainable. Plus, you don’t have to go overboard in what you want; focus on the simplicity that your mind needs.
