Many perceive their jobs as a calling, a passion, or a life mission. But what if your job is 'just a job'? Let's explore the liberating perspective of work as a means to an end, and why that's perfectly okay.
A job is just a job: an exchange of labor for your employer’s cold, hard cash
But it’s also something that you can use to your advantage to help you further your personal goals.
- Think of your job as “just a job”
- It’s still important to do it well, but there’s no harm in thinking of it the way the dictionary does: “a regular remunerative position.”
Use your job to build relationships
When you spend 40 hours a week with other humans, you’re bound to develop some kind of relationship with one or more of them.
- You don’t have to be interested in becoming lifelong friends with your coworkers, but there’s at least value in networking with them
- Share resources with coworkers, learn from peers, and find new jobs through old colleagues
Use your job to learn new skills
If your work provides resources for learning and development, use them. Learn skills that will increase your pay.
- Learn skills for personal fulfillment.
- If you’re an engineer-turned-designer, take advantage of classes that will improve your skill set. Get a master’s degree program fully reimbursed by the school where you teach, and you’ll gain new skills and a pay bump.
Use your job for the benefits package
If your employer provides benefits, max them out as much as possible
- Make sure you know every benefit available to you, and make the most of it
- For instance, use your office setup budget to buy a fancy new Wi-Fi router so that your Zoom calls don’t lag anymore and your Netflix streams like a beast
