You can be yourself
For so many of us, our work persona is much different from our “off the clock” persona. If you’re lucky, though, you don’t have to fake anything for nine hours a day, because the person you are at work is the person you always are. If you fit in with your colleagues, you feel comfortable within the organization, and you don’t have to put on airs in front of your boss, you really don’t have much to complain about.
Your supervisor is a leader
Every worker has to answer to someone eventually, and a supervisor’s personality can make all the difference in the life of an employee. The stereotypical “boss” doles out assignments with little to no guidance, reasoning, or clarification, leaving his underlings questioning their every move. On the other hand, great leaders give clear instructions and rationale behind the assignments they give their employees, and always make themselves available if needed. While bosses tend to micromanage their employees throughout an entire project, leaders have faith in their workers’ abilities, and allow them freedom to do work they know they’re capable of. If your supervisor falls into the latter category, consider yourself lucky.
You feel confident
Feeling confident in your ability to perform your paid duties is often a deciding factor as to whether or not you’ll enjoy your job. If you constantly feel swamped with work to the point that you feel as if you’re drowning, you won’t ever have time to step back and appreciate your job. However, this isn’t to say that having an “easy” job is for the best, either. Ironically, working in a job that’s much too easy can leave you disheartened and feeling “stuck.” Without being challenged constantly, you won’t ever feel confident in your ability to overcome obstacles.
You have opportunities for growth
Going along with the last point, the reason “easy” jobs aren’t very rewarding is because there often isn’t much room for growth. Why try harder when minimal effort gets the job done just fine? And why push yourself if you know you have no chance of being promoted? On the other hand, if you find yourself in a position in which your supervisor sees your potential and backs you up when you speak of your long-term goals, you’ll be more likely to approach every day as a day to excel. When you can have faith that your hard work will pay off eventually, you’ll be more free to focus on your job, rather than how much you hate it.
You earn good compensation
I know what you’re saying: money can’t buy happiness. If you’re not fulfilled in your job, a great salary doesn’t necessarily make up for it. But it does help at least a little bit. You might not be making as much as you’d like to or think you deserve, but as long as you can pay the bills and provide for your family, you should be eternally grateful. Think about the extras, too. If you have great benefits, you’re protected against most emergency situations; that’s absolutely priceless. If your job allows you to take a personal day to watch your kid perform in a school play, you’ve got it better than most others. And if, at the end of a year of hard work, you can spend a week on the beach with your family…well, what more could you ask for?
You love what you do
Now for the obvious. If you love what you do, it doesn’t matter if you don’t make much money. It doesn’t matter if you work long hours. It doesn’t matter if your boss is a jerk. Every job has ups and downs, so it’s up to you whether you focus on the negative or positive aspects of your work. Realistically, dealing with all the other garbage is worth it, as long as you feel fulfilled coming into your job each and every day. Featured photo credit: Working Hard / Thomas Heylen via farm6.staticflickr.com
