Work shouldn't be
all fun.
I know this is an eyebrow-raising statement. Shouldn’t work be fun? Remember, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."“If your job isn't fun and enjoyable, then why bother?” “Happy employees are productive employees.”
I know this is an eyebrow-raising statement. Shouldn’t work be fun? Remember, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."“If your job isn't fun and enjoyable, then why bother?” “Happy employees are productive employees.”
Sure, those are
all correct. That’s why we strive for a work-life balance. For me, however, when it comes to work, this
should be the order: Work hard, have fun, make a difference. This is supported
by the so-called 3 Fs – focus, fun and fulfillment.
I have been working
since I was 18 (and have been in my present company for 18 years now). I have observed a lot of young(er) people (lahat naman yata, bata para sa akin hehehe) falling
into the fun-first trap. Some of them look for fun at work, prioritizing having
fun, even before the basics. Some of them are not even serious with their job.
Thus, when fun stops and reality seeps in (eto
na, trabaho na, deadlines na), they become restless, start to complain (“Nakaka-stress, ang daming trabaho!”), couldn’t
find the reasons to stay, and the option is to move out, look for another job, and
find fun elsewhere.
There’s no law
against having fun, don’t get me wrong. I like to have fun. I know how to have
fun. Ok lang, forgivable sa umpisa. But if that’s the only thing you want or look for (in a job), or when it becomes a habit or a system, it could be risky. Learn the basics first. Know your job first. I mean, seriously, master your
craft (read: isapuso ang trabaho). And
then when you have already earned it, that’s the time to play and have fun. Not
the other way around. Pag deserved mo na ang
bulakbol, ayan pwede na. Hindi yung hindi ka pa nga expert sa trabaho mo, inuuna
mo pa ang kalokohan. Pag totoong trabaho na, hindi ka na maka-cope. I have
seen a lot of people like this. Ang
galing-galing sa laro at kalokohan, pero kapag project management na, wala na, patay na.
Hindi na raw sila masaya. Believe me, when you know your job inside and
out, kahit ano pa i-assign sa iyo, you
will be fine. Huwag ka matakot sa trabaho.
While some of you
may not agree with my style, I would prefer that people would curse me now and thank
me afterwards for preparing them for the grind. For me, it’s better na mahirapan ka na sa umpisa, masanay ka na
sa hirap, focus now then have fun later. You will have your reward in the
right time. (Galatians 6:9 Let us not
become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we
do not give up.) Hindi nga lang makahintay ang iba (but that's another story or blog for that matter).
Work isn’t fun all
the time. It shouldn’t be, otherwise it should not be called work in the first
place. We shouldn't go to work with the objective to have fun. That’s just on
the side. It’s more satisfying and fulfilling when at the end of the day, you
know that you’ve worked hard, and you truly deserved the break.
You create the
fun. While most companies or employers exert great efforts to make the workplace a fun place
to be, you shouldn't depend on your work for fun, there can be other sources. What
we need is a deep sense of joy and a healthy attitude, and when you have those,
you will thrive no matter what you take on – relationship/s, work or business.
~TheGoodGirl
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