The Job/health connection
Updated: Jul 20, 2023
If you are feeling unsatisfied in your career or stuck in limbo for what to do, you are not alone. There is a reason. Globally we are going through a huge transitional time, where old systems are crumbling before our very eyes. Systems in place for over 100 years are no longer serving us. The reason for this? Well there are several, but from a career standpoint the machine that was created to make companies successful was not created to empower humans to be healthy, happy and/or fulfilled. Imagine a pressure cooker, after a while the top will blow off with too much pressure. This is exactly what is happening. Some companies have squeezed employees for everything, some examples; given 3 jobs to do instead of 1 with no increase in pay, treated like machines without empathy, or not being respected as an individual or equal to owners and managers.
So we are now beginning to wake up and realize how this never served us. Why did it take us this long? We were too caught up in the hamster wheel of life to notice. But a blessing from the last few years is that we were able to wake up. Which brings us to now, the old systems are evolving before our very eyes.
With the average time spent at work as 100,000 hours (the second biggest amount of time we spend in our life next to sleeping), we can't afford to be this unhappy, unhealthy and stressed anymore.
If we are unhappy at our jobs this snowballs into the rest of our life. Emotional stress is the main contributor to the top 6 diseases effecting our health, the juice just isn't worth the squeeze in the grand scheme of things. But what do we do? It doesn't mean we need to quit our jobs and move to a farm off the grid, although that is an option for those that find that fulfilling. The answer is finding a career in alignment with what drives you, what makes you tick, and that lights up your soul.
To simplify, it's that perfect balance of working in a career where you are rewarded for your contributions, utilized for your intelligence, drive, and ambition and are aligned with the mission and values of the company. Where that old cliche comes into place - a job that doesn't feel like work (at least 90% of the time).
For some this means starting your own company, for others it means finding the right fit where both parties feel like they got the better end of the deal. A career is a relationship, it will have ups and downs but for it to work it must have mutual respect, where both parties are fulfilled, healthy and happy.
Take a step back and ask yourself if work is contributing to your stress?
Is it a healthy stress where you feel driven and excited?
Or is it a disempowering stress where you feel angry, defeated and unfulfilled?
If it is the latter, now is the time to expand your search and look for something that aligns with you. Life is too short to spend 90,000 hours emotionally stressed and have this impact every other part of your life. If you are wondering where to begin, use this post to find the purpose inside of you.