The Ideal Job

Before I return "Take Time for Your Life", I want to jot down a few take-aways. When my friends and I whinge about work, we often end up asking ourselves -- "k, what is it you want then?" Huh? There's a lot of pressure to find your calling -- to be doing the job you are most ideally suited to --the one that will allow you to give more than you get, and make you enjoy it so much that it won't even feel like work. With so much of our lives spent working, it's only normal to keep questioning how we're spending our time. So when I read this list of job criteria, it helped me realize that the ideal job is more than working in a hot field for lots of money.

• Work must never cause me to compromise my integrity. Check!
• The required hours must allow me to have a life outside of work. Check!
• My contribution must be acknowledged and appreciated.
• The work must be challenging and fulfilling. (what is fulfilling exactly?)
• I must have an opportunity to use my best talents and gifts fully.
• I must be able to provide my input for important decisions. Check!
• My work must serve a greater purpose. Check!
• I must be paid fairly for the work I perform. Check!

That's pretty decent! And a few of those are almost there. I feel much better about my job, having looked at it with a different perspective. Once again, things are never as bad as they seem.