It's a rough time to be a cubicle dweller. Seems like everywhere I turn there's some new blog post telling us to step away from the desk, break out of the office, become our own boss or take our work mobile. For the most part, I couldn't agree more. Too many people spend their lives stuck in a dead end job while what they really want to be doing slips further and further away. Want to shake up your life? I'm all for it! Heck, after doing it myself three times to chase my constant dream of living in France, I could even give you some tips along the way. But I sometimes get the feeling that supporters of such life-changing moves are insinuating that those of us who work in an office must be miserable, and that the 9-5 routine must be a one way trip to job un-satisfaction. Sometimes I feel as though those who reject the office outright have - dare I say it? - missed the point.Here's the deal: I've taken myself out of my comfort zone, moved across the country and the globe more than once, and I'll probably continue to crave that kind of change (and make it happen!) for the rest of my life. But I've also had the desk jobs, and you know what? Sometimes those jobs are the dream. It all depends on the kind of job you're talking about. I spent years working for a French organization, where I had a desk, a 9-5 schedule and a boss. And it was one of the best experiences of my life. My current job is the same way. I'm doing exactly what I want to be doing every single day, all within the confines of a cubicle. I don't feel trapped, I feel energized.
Maybe I'm reading something into these calls to life revolution that simply isn't there, but I feel like they're prone to focusing on details rather than the real heart of the matter. It's not the location that matters (although, I'm pretty happy my cube has a sweet view and isn't tucked away in the corner), it's the activity. The important thing is doing what you love to do. What's more, there are plenty of people who would honestly not like to work in the mobile, unstructured setting so many espouse. Nothing wrong with that. I'm not necessarily one of those people, but I get where they're coming from. So I'll take my cubicle, my health plan, my 40 hours a week, my butting heads with The Man, and my totally awesome job description, and I'll love every minute of it. Until I decide it's time for the next big shake-up, that is. I give it about a year.
4 comments:
i think it's the type of job. Cubicle life is not for me but i sit in front of a computer all day anyways. i think it is about flexibility. A friend who does 9-5 and loves it but i have another who complains all the time. I think it has to do with the fact one is passionate about his job and gets flexibility and the other does not,
Matt, I agree, and different things work for different people. Flexibility is key, especially, I think, for our generation. We want to be able to make our own schedules a bit. My job lets me do that to a certain degree and I really appreciate that aspect of it.
I love my 8-5 job, (really 8-7) but I want to get out and travel the world before I get too far into my career. I here about a lot of people wanting to work and travel, but I know I cannot do that. I think it is about what kind of job you have and how you feel about going to work everyday. I enjoy going into work everyday, I am still ready to quit and leave everything behind me for an adventure though.
www.travelingtolive.com (my blog)
Chris, I think it's great that you're getting out there and you're going to see the world. I don't know anyone who regretted leaving a job for travel.
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