Comments on: How to Make Any Work More Enjoyable

By: Akila

Akila — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:10:36 +0000

Pursuing excellence is critical no matter what you do. I quit my job because I hated it and left to travel around the world but, even though I knew I hated it, I kept working as well as I could. It kept me sane to know that I was putting in 100% and left a good taste in my boss’s mouth so that they asked me to go back to them after I return. Will I do it? Probably not, but at least I have the option. For a year before I left the U.S., I switched jobs to a more writing-focused option and realized that writing is what I would like to do full-time when I return. But, if I don’t have that chance, then, at least I have a backup.

By: Monica O'Brien

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:22:29 +0000

Starting a business is by far the most exhausting job I’ve ever had. Sometimes I do wonder if I’m happier than before. I certainly spend a lot of my time working, compared to before – so in that respect, maybe not.

At the end of the day, work is work still! You will do things you love and hate in life – you can’t accomplish anything without sucking it up sometimes. Not everyone is meant to start a business, and my guess is most people think it sounds fun but really would hate it if they actually did it.
.-= Monica O’Brien´s last blog ..Free content sells. We get it. What’s next? =-.

By: Emily @ Maiden Voyage

Emily @ Maiden Voyage — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:53:30 +0000

I love your insights! And yes, so true — work is work no matter what. Some work may be more enjoyable than others, but even if you have a job you like, sometimes you will encounter tasks that are flat-out boring or tedious. It’s hard to find a job that is perfect.

Great tips on how to deal with a boring job. I totally feel you on the physical thing — I sit at a desk in front of the computer all day and it makes me nuts. I get ancy and it makes me feel so sedentary and unhealthy. While I don’t think I would do well at manual labor, sometimes I wish I had a job that required me to shuffle around a bit rather than camp out in front of a laptop all day long!
.-= Emily @ Maiden Voyage´s last blog ..Guest Post: What I Learned in Iceland =-.

By: John

John — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:02:27 +0000

I agree that it is not easy. We all get stressed, bored, tired and angry from different things at different times. I believe that the reason we hate work so much is that we do so much of it. We would get sick of anything we had to do for 40 hours a week, no matter how pleasurable it initially was.

Finding internal ways to deal with problems or boredom is more effective than external ways like running way or shopping.

By: Walter

Walter — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:27:26 +0000

To tell you the truth, it is not easy to be enjoyable working for someone. The tips you have elaborated above makes a lot of sense, but it’s not easy to achieve. In my work, I try my best to apply some of the practices above, but many times I slip. Still, its worth it.

By: Frugal Expat

Frugal Expat — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:16:21 +0000

great post! I am into this limbo for the past months now. Work is really boring and routinary.

However, while whining sometimes about my current work situation, I feel guilty. Others have been fired and retrenched and here I am, having a stable job, and still complaining.

But you are definitely right! Whatever option we choose, it still requires work and effort.

Cheers
.-= Frugal Expat ´s last blog ..Surviving the Tough Economy: Extra Source of Income =-.

By: John

John — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:16:42 +0000

Thanks for the comment Carmen.

It is easy to blame people or circumstances for our unhappiness, however by every measure life is great. We have a quality of life and variety of choices that previous generations couldn’t have imagined. These are amazing times!

By: John

John — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:10:57 +0000

It does work.

Breathe deeply. Focus on the task. Try to keep your mind from straying.

Real mindfulness is very calming.

By: Carmen

Carmen — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:52:24 +0000

You make a good point that our reaction to situations is usually more an indicator of something within ourselves than of the situation itself. If you feel bored in your job you could probably take a look inward and realize you've been bored in many situations in the past. Some people say that boredom is actually one way to psychologically defend against strong feelings of discomfort. .-= Carmen´s last blog ..Nomading Families Discuss Life and Education – Round Table Part III – The Vogel Family =-.

By: Nate

Nate — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:55:38 +0000

I can really appreciate what you said about dealing with boring work. I’m about to get into a few hours of insanely boring database work, and I’ll be thinking about what you wrote. I’ll try to picture myself as a Buddhist monk

Great post, John.
.-= Nate´s last blog ..how long would it really take? =-.