If you like your job, are you always happy?
 

I'm sure I know the answer to this but, it's hard to see right now.

I enjoy my work. Best way to describe it is "network engineer", routers, switches, firewalls, Cisco stuff mostly.

The last 2-3 months have been particularly stressful and it's taking its toll on my attitude.

When I started this was a small company, it's still pretty small (~450-550emp, I think), but it's grown a lot. We have more people and more business. Because of the growth, our management has realized that the new size requires some different methods and organization. There have been lots of changes, and lots of "stuff" that I think is just growing pains. I suspect that in 6-12 months, the turmoil will die down and things will be back to (a new) normal. But damn, right now it's a royal pain in the neck and makes it hard to see a bright future. I suspect that the problem is that the higher ups, are trying to figure out what needs to be done, and we'll try things and end up keeping some of the new stuff but ditching some of the new ideas too.

I guess I'm just wondering, if you enjoy your work and enjoy where you work, does everyone go through periods where it sucks, but then later it's back to being enjoyable again?

frustrated and stressed...

Stay off tall bridges.

hahahah

Nah, I'm not worried about that. Life is grand, it's just work that's a pain in the azz.

Everything in life is cyclical.

I've always felt that life was like the 4 seasons.
Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.

Now depending on where you live, there could be extended seasons?

Get out and do something you really enjoy ;)

Great advice. When I get stressed from work I take a long run. A few years ago I was so worked up that I got in my car and screamed bloody murder, damn near blew a gasket. I drove home, marched up the stairs, changed and ran like friggin' Forest Gump. I came back and was as calm as Tiger Woods standing over a 2 foot putt. Felt awesome.
Go do something!!!!!

I went from a company with about 30 employees to one with 750 when they bought us out. The bureaucracy is just amazing. Imagine what it's like in a fed. agency with exponentially more employees and regulations and no competition. I just try very hard to never ever think about work unless at my computer or with a client. No matter how bad it gets, I am able to completely forget it once I see my wife or am away from the office.

Hey Mark,
I envy you, my knees won't permit me to run anymore. Use to run off my hangovers; played years of rugby, but its taken its toll. I substitued my bike, but running is far better imo.
I see you run alot; snow or shine, good on ya.

Rick,
Your lucky to be able to draw such a definitive line; My line between work and play is very cloudy, grey and WIDE. I try hard to keep it in control, not so easy at the moment.

Work to me is like a prison sentence. Yes, its a necessary evil that we all must do, but think of the things that you could accomplish if you did not have to work. I know you need cash to do these things and it takes a job to do it....but theres more to life than 8-5. My job can be freakin stressful at times being in medical sales, but it pays well. Squirrel as much as you can away now and get out of the game to sooner to live life. Think about it, you work your butt off all your youthful healthy life only to retire at 65 with an average life expectancy of 85.

Sorry to be a downer...just a realist.

Richard

"We're a big company now. We can't do things the way we used to..."

I guess that's part of it. In the past, I was able to leave work at work, but these days I'm semi-supervisory which just means they have a leash on me. I have a blackberry now. I don't check it all of the time, but it's always there. I think that's added to the stress.

Yeah, as stated previously, this is just one of the valleys. Fortunately the only constant thing is change. I keep telling everyone at work that in 6-9 months, things will be "normal". I hope I'm right.

Richard - that's too bad, you can't go through life like that. I used to be a construction manager, absolutely hated it. Not that it was a bad job, some guys loved it, but it didn't suit me at all. I was really lucky that my travels got me into teaching, and I've loved every minute since. The money isn't great, but its enough. If I had bags of money stashed somewhere, I would be willing to teach for free. I think everyone needs to find a job they like that much. Then work will never be a prison.

I suppose there is some truth in finding a job you love...in the beginning I worked for the CA Fish & Game and absolutely loved it. Out of necessity, I got into sales to support the family so the wife could stay at home and raise the children. Maybe my biggest problem is that I am living for the "retirement" and not now.

My Blackberry doesn't work for some reason--I decided not to figure it out. I would check that thing all the time, weekends and all-- I didn't realize how much I was leashed to that damn thing. I like what I do--the peaks and valleys can be equally frustrating though.
christian

The real test of "liking your job", is: when you are driving to work, are you looking forward to being at work, and working? Is there something else you would like to do for 40-60 hours every week?

If yes to the first, then you like your work.

If yes to the second, then you ought to find some other line of work that will make you answer yes to the first.

Is it me, or is it really this simple?

Make sure to set your filters on alerts so that every email isn't making your BB go off. That brings my stress level down. I work somewhere I 'like' and 'enjoy' but it is still work. I also do the same thing as you - Network Engineer. I work for a multinational corporation. I do enjoy my job but there are parts of it that I significantly dislike:

VPN - I handle most of our security products from a technology stand point and I HATE VPN. I'm in the middle of rolling out a new VPN solution so most of my day is spent on something I dislike. I find myself very motivated to ensure everyone who might possibly be supporting this knows how because I hate VPN. :D

Routers and switches are great - they do exactly what you told them to do even if you meant something else.

Configuration management, SOX, PCI and HIPPA compliance are not going away. I've worked with folks who fought them at every turn and eventually you either have to get in line or get out. If you're having a hard time dealing with new bureaucracies - well - get over it and find a way to fit in. After all - when it comes down to it - you're an employee and anyone can be replaced.

Networks are awesome but working on a world wide network is a tense because someone is always awake.


so, my drive to work is usually not wishing I was going somewhere else but it's only 2 miles so maybe it's because I don't have time to feel that way.

I love my job (most of the time) but I spent years doing something I didn't really like to get here.

It was worth it.

Pretty much, except, as others have mentioned, sometimes you've got to sweep the floors to get a chance at hiring the sweepers:)

I took some interesting assignments because I felt the effort was worth it in the long run. Sacrifice isn't always a negative.

Robs advice is valid as well...fine a release you enjoy:cool:

I don't know what I'd do if I coudn't run, stress & blubber control. I tried biking, my legs are shot before I can get my heart rate up!
Rugby? So you're the tough guy of Pelican Nation???? ;)

Steve, do you exercise?

Hell no!!

that's why they call them..... "Crackberrys" LOL.

Richard,
Very sorry to read this. I hope you realize that you can change it?

I grew up watching everyone go to a job, and was never a main streamer. Making money is like playing a game buddy; get in the game, its fun.

Shoot me a PM anytime ;)

MARK,
yudda man pal. :) yudda man.
As for the bike...... exactly!

I'm happy but I'm the only employee. I don't consider myself a workaholic but do enjoy most of my day at the shop. I'd get more work done if friends didn't keep dropping by to bs.
Jim

"...are you always happy?"

No, of course not. I doubt ANYONE is "always happy" I think you'd have to somewht dilusional to truthfully say that.

To me happy is a process, not a destination. And IMHO, it definitely comes from within... not from without.

As for work, I am 53 now and have been in my line of work for 30 years. I make more money than I ever have and for less work, all in all. Despite that it is the most Ive made, I don't live all that differently than when I made a lot less....so it isn't money that makes me lastingly happy.

I use a modification of an old saying about success, "Happiness isn't having everything you want, it is wanting everything you have".

Hi Dan,

Exactly so! For someone who has been an architect since 1966, and still at it, my "happiness" comes from doing things that are different every day (never a dull moment), things that bring pleasure to people with the buildings and interiors that we design and build, things that make people smile.

By the way, our house in Glendale will be the scene of new happiness when we finally move back in, and we can meet in person. I'm sure that you and I have crossed paths in previous posts on this Board.

See you at the California festival of Speed on 04.April?

Ideally, a job would be challenging, rewarding, fun, and lucrative all the time.

Yeah, I wish.

My job is always challenging, sometimes lucrative, and rewarding/fun about 1/2 the time. The other 1/2 the time, I'm tearing my hair out.

I've been working on the same project for 6 years. It will implement in another 2 years. There are about 950 people on my project and 35,000 end users. My project has consistently reorganized every six months for the past six years. We are on the 4th major revision of the schedule. My business partners want me to implement the most complex thing I'm working on third quarter of this year--but I don't expect them to actually decide this until second quarter.

Am I stressed? Not really. I accept that the world will change around me. I will do the best I can. I pretty much ignore schedules and reorganizations and just keep chugging along. Sometimes I'm ahead of schedule, sometimes I'm behind schedule. Oh well.

I like my job. it can be challenging, lucrative, I'm outside and I can work as much or as little as I want.. what I don't like is rain every few days, driving 800-1000 miles a week, the rain, daylight to darkthirty hours sometimes 6 1/2 days a week, rain delays where a 2 week job stretches to 1 month or more, the rain, 35 in the morning, 75 midday and back to 35 by dark, and working in small towns where the nearest food, hardware store or cell service is a 25 mile drive away like the job I'm on now. did I mention rain? I do have a great boss though.

reminds me of that story about the chicken farmer that always got flooded out.

he switched to ducks.

My new job requires me to be responsible for the lives of 55 people at all times. It's new to me and I dont know if I will be able to do the required things that come about with it. I've had some training, done some time with the people, and I only hope it turns out well. I am now a Professional Charter Bus driver. I'm going to Chicago this weekend with a high school group. They will site-see, visit museums etc. The size of the bus is not the issue; I've recently driven downtown Chi=town in rush hour, but I just hope to make the trip fun for all onboard. Film at 11

Are you feeling better John or just toughing it out?

actually... toughing it out. went from half dead, losing 20% of my weight to working 12hr days 6 days a week and driving 8-1000 miles a week. not eating much, haven't gained, most likely lost weight. got to me last week. couldn't finish a job because of rain every few days so I spent the week in bed sleeping, sitting in my chair surfing on the internet or sleeping in my chair. been stuffing myself as much as I can, but after I eat, I feel too bad to do much more than sit there. it's getting better over the last few days though. waiting for things to dry up so I can go back to work. thanks for asking

How many people ACTUALLY like their job? Really? I mean percentage of the population. Can I see some real stats on that? Also, I'd like to see the percent of people that like their job but not their supervisor or like their supervisior but not their job. That would make for an interesting thread.

In Houston?! That just means staying off the tollway to 59 bridge....:D

I guess that I love my job and that I'm happy most of the time. We've had a few accidents happen where I was decidedly not "Happy", but all in all I've got a pretty bit(hin job. I'd tell you more about my job but then you'd hate me. SmileWavy

Im happy, sometimes things arent the best but thats just the way it goes. I like my customers and work with technology spending many hours of my own time fooling around with our products and learning. The pay is okay and right now Im most stressed out about trying to schedule Snowboarding, Whitewater kayaking, AutoX and Time Trials while still spending time with my family. I will have about 30 days snowboarding this year, plan to have 20+ kayaking days and plan to get to the "track" for 10-15 days.

I like my job, the people i work with, the company i work for and the stuff that I do almost all the time. The times that I did not it was mostly me, filp that switch in your head and you will be fine.

Someone once said....."A job is normally a task you do not want to do, and that is why you get paid to do it."

We are train to live for retirement. I have 2 little ones (one is 3 month old)and all I ever think about is their college money and blowing my retirement on it and I 've a long way to go. I quit spending thousand to have fun since the old one came along 2 years ago.

Where the heck is Fairoaks CA?

I have decided two things for myself, that I am struggling to stick to:

1) A regular cycle of ups and downs is normal and to be expected in life.

2) Always look on the bright side of life.

Summary: Life sucks in a wonderful way.