Comments on: Yahoo column: Four ways to make a bad job good http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/19/yahoo-column-four-ways-to-make-a-bad-job-good/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:28:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Maureen Rogers http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/19/yahoo-column-four-ways-to-make-a-bad-job-good/#comment-58911 Maureen Rogers Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:45:51 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/19/yahoo-column-four-ways-to-make-a-bad-job-good/#comment-58911 Friends at work have always been paramount for me, and the friends I've made seem to have fallen into three categories: Life friends - people I'll know until one of us dead: I know their families, birthdays,backyards,etc.. Networking friends - these are folks I was tight with at work and whom I see for lunch a couple of times a year, at which time we really enjoy each other's company, and after which we may or may not do some work together - but we're always there for each other for advice,job tips, leads, etc. Ad hoc friends are those you bond with at the moment. It's all about the work - the stupid boss, the joint project - but the relationship dies out once you don't have work-stuff in common. All three types are important. I don't know how anyone can survive at work without friends. As to the point you raised in the Yahoo article about not looking for meaning at work. I disagree. I think it's important to find meaning in all aspects of your life, and if working is a big part of it, it goes a lot better if there's meaning attached. Admittedly, I'm a professional product marketer working in technology-related businesses, which may seem devoid of meaning, but I've always been able to derive purpose from my work. Sometimes it was "just" being a good co-worker (friend at work), mentoring younger workers. Sometimes the meaning is "what we're doing may not be all that important or noble in the long view, but our company is making technology that helps others do their jobs better, plus we're providing employment that lets people provide for their families and thus giving their lives meaning..." Circular reasoning, maybe, but it's gotten me through some "What am I doing here?" moments. Friends at work have always been paramount for me, and the friends I've made seem to have fallen into three categories: Life friends - people I'll know until one of us dead: I know their families, birthdays,backyards,etc.. Networking friends - these are folks I was tight with at work and whom I see for lunch a couple of times a year, at which time we really enjoy each other's company, and after which we may or may not do some work together - but we're always there for each other for advice,job tips, leads, etc. Ad hoc friends are those you bond with at the moment. It's all about the work - the stupid boss, the joint project - but the relationship dies out once you don't have work-stuff in common. All three types are important. I don't know how anyone can survive at work without friends.

As to the point you raised in the Yahoo article about not looking for meaning at work. I disagree. I think it's important to find meaning in all aspects of your life, and if working is a big part of it, it goes a lot better if there's meaning attached. Admittedly, I'm a professional product marketer working in technology-related businesses, which may seem devoid of meaning, but I've always been able to derive purpose from my work. Sometimes it was "just" being a good co-worker (friend at work), mentoring younger workers. Sometimes the meaning is "what we're doing may not be all that important or noble in the long view, but our company is making technology that helps others do their jobs better, plus we're providing employment that lets people provide for their families and thus giving their lives meaning…" Circular reasoning, maybe, but it's gotten me through some "What am I doing here?" moments.

]]> By: AjiNIMC - wrote about "Questions for your employer (Hiring Manager)" http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/19/yahoo-column-four-ways-to-make-a-bad-job-good/#comment-58881 AjiNIMC - wrote about "Questions for your employer (Hiring Manager)" Thu, 19 Apr 2007 10:33:12 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/19/yahoo-column-four-ways-to-make-a-bad-job-good/#comment-58881 >> Decrease your commute time by moving closer to work. Very Important point there. "Life itself is journey lets not waste it in traveling (Wow, that makes a good quote)". There are two things that make a job bad 1) Internal Conflicts - Your profile Vs Job profile 2) External Conflicts - You can choose companies, grass always greener on other side - Company environment etc See what is making a job bad, then try to rectify it else find another job hoping it is a rectified one. Do go through this http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/97 ( Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy?) and http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/93 (Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice) Enjoy, Aji >> Decrease your commute time by moving closer to work.
Very Important point there. "Life itself is journey lets not waste it in traveling (Wow, that makes a good quote)".

There are two things that make a job bad
1) Internal Conflicts - Your profile Vs Job profile
2) External Conflicts
- You can choose companies, grass always greener on other side
- Company environment etc

See what is making a job bad, then try to rectify it else find another job hoping it is a rectified one.

Do go through this http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/97 ( Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy?) and http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/93 (Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice)

Enjoy,
Aji

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