Work
We are a part of an amazing and massive world. We are human. We are part of a society that spans the globe. Through our work we contribute to this reality on a day to day basis.
To me work has two important components. The first is the process of creating something of value to the world and the second is the process of getting money so we can live. Generally doing one of these things is better than doing neither but it is better if you can do both!
In creating this website I hope I have created value for the world and I also hope I can make some money! Creating value is what makes us a part of the world, a part of the whole of creation! Getting money simply gives us more resources to create value!
Not being able to find work
Being out of work can be really depressing, not only do we worry about money constantly but getting rejected for all the jobs we apply for can be a real drag. It only gets worse if we aren't doing anything constructive.
But don't forget to look on the positive side, this is a time we can spend on the things that are hard to do when we are working for example, learning new skills, getting in touch with old family and friends, finishing up odd jobs around the home and even exploring our local area. It also gives us a chance to contemplate life, ourselves and all those big questions. We can even use this opportunity to make some new friends or contribute to an online/offline community.
As far as getting work goes, try to see it objectively. We are just another person looking for a job, we have certain skills that are useful. The more we apply the more likely we are to find the right job. There will always be more jobs opening up, any one is never the only right one.
Finding a job is itself a skill that many people aren't very good at, one of the most effective ways of finding work is getting better at finding work :)
We have friends, don't be afraid to ask them for help. They might know someone hiring or might be able to review your CV.
Keep an open mind, we are all able to create things of value. And there is more and more ways to sell things, online or locally.
There isn't much someone can't learn if they put their mind to it, take note of which jobs are most common in your area and start studying. A lot of things can be learned without spending much money these days.
But remember simply doing something that creates value is important for our peace of mind. Volunteer work is better than no work at all.
Instead of seeing ourselves as stuck in one career or as an "X" where x is our main job see ourselves as someone who can learn anything. Think about our strengths instead of our skills and maybe learn some parallel skills that complement our strengths. If I am handy I learn a new trade, if I am sociable and funny I can try my hand at making some YouTube videos.
Blog on getting a job sidways - Stop looking!
Good general job advise blog - Job Advice Blog
Blog job hunting is marketing yourself - Guerrilla Job Hunting
Get some professional help writing your resume - www.aresumewriter.net
Post advice, stories or comments! - the community
On too much work
There is a strong pressure in the modern world to focus on work only for the money but it's important to remember anything that ads value is by definition valuable. The adding value is what makes us feel good about ourselves not the money so if we do find a job that gives little value and a lot of money it may be important to use that money to add value. Trust me you will feel better about yourself!
Working at a job that ads value and money can be very addictive, and money itself can become an all consuming motivation for some people. It's important to remember there is so much more to life than work, that there is a whole world for us to explore and there is another whole world inside us to explore as well as many rich life experiences like starting a family.
Something people often forget is what they are missing out on in life, they also forget that money can equal time not working. I like to spend a lot of money on taking months off without pay from time to time.
Here are some useful links that help illustrate what I mean:
Blog hidden dangers of work - hidden-dangers-of-working-in-it
Video of man falls off roof - life before eyes
Video on work life balance - nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work
Post advice, stories or comments! - the community
Hating the concept of work
Once upon a time I thought I was lazy. I'd sit in front of my computer at work with the intention of working but something inside me just wouldn't let me. It would make me feel so guilty and bad but no matter how hard I willed myself to work I just couldn't make it happen. This didn't happen all the time, sometimes I'd get caught up in my job and not have any problems. But it happened often enough that it was a constant weight on my shoulders.
It turned out to be more a lack of encouragement and work ethic from my childhood. It was a defense mechanism, it was a way of rebelling and trying to get attention. Unfortunately it didn't fit into my adult life at all!
Many of us have old defence mechanisms and some of the most destructive ones block our drive and inner motivation.
Maybe we got spoiled as a kid, never having to do any work for ourselves so never learning the satisfaction of a job well done. We associate work with something lower people do, maids, gardeners etc. But doing daily tasks can be one of the most rewarding parts of the day.
Since I can't seem to find any good links related to this I'll go into some more details on what worked for me.
Basically whenever I come across a block from something I learnt as a child I use visualisation to relive what I would have preferred to learn. We can all do this, go somewhere comfortable where you can relax and won't be disturbed as this might bring up some strong emotions.
Now imagine back to the time when your defence behaviour was forming, when you are little. Spend some time getting this idea clear in your mind. Feel little again. Now imagine another you as you are today with your current understanding of things meeting that younger you. Now what advise would you tell your younger self, imagine your younger self views you like a big brother or sister. Let the conversation flow naturally. Repeat until you can feel your unconscious attitudes begin to shift.
The reason this technique really helps us is because behaviours we learned as children arn't based on logic so simply understanding why you should be doing something better doesn't get to that unconscious belief. The unconscious needs to feel that emotional caring guidance to re-learn it's behaviours. Guidance from someone you trust implicitly. By doing this visualisation we are becoming our own parent in a way and that lets us re-learn these early lessons.
Hating your current job
Some jobs are just torture, but like a bad relationship we often don't know when to give up. If we start losing your will to get up in the morning that's a sure sign it's time to look for something better.
Also like in a relationship power and control can be very destructive forces, when our boss fails to treat us as humans and equal beings we naturally feel down-trodden and disempowered. That's why on of our first products here at Debug Reality was UnBaa as a way of encouraging more equal decision making.
Since we spend most of our waking life at work so it's important that we enjoy at least the environment if not the actual job!
Nice group of articles about hating your job - www.wisebread.com
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