Work is a four-letter word.
Your thoughts on "work"?
Not every ENFP, but a lot of us seem to go through multiple jobs/careers or heck, time off working all-together for extended periods of time. While that's been hinted at on past posts, I wanted a thread just to see where everyone's at on their thoughts of work and how it fits into the life of an ENFP.
and me?
I "work to live" not "live to work" in fact, I brought up that cliche at my most recent job interview (and got hired anyways) and it's the truth. Beyond the fact that I need a good flow of money for the basics of life and to maintain my lifestyle, the work/money combination buys me what I value most: TIME.
There are great people at my jobs, and it's also the thing I chose to do (marketing if you're wondering, just like @viva) creative, and a natural fit. But if I COULD would I stop and do nothing but whatever creative fancy came my way for the rest of my life? You bet your 401K I would.
And so I've made it my life's goal whenever I get promoted or re-negotiate my contract: ask for less money, in exchange for more precious TIME (extra vacation). In that freedom from financial or work worries is where I know I feel most alive.
et tu?
and me?
I "work to live" not "live to work" in fact, I brought up that cliche at my most recent job interview (and got hired anyways) and it's the truth. Beyond the fact that I need a good flow of money for the basics of life and to maintain my lifestyle, the work/money combination buys me what I value most: TIME.
There are great people at my jobs, and it's also the thing I chose to do (marketing if you're wondering, just like @viva) creative, and a natural fit. But if I COULD would I stop and do nothing but whatever creative fancy came my way for the rest of my life? You bet your 401K I would.
And so I've made it my life's goal whenever I get promoted or re-negotiate my contract: ask for less money, in exchange for more precious TIME (extra vacation). In that freedom from financial or work worries is where I know I feel most alive.
et tu?
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I feel like I have a very unhealthy relationship with work. I have a hard time balancing work with other priorities like family, friends, fun, etc. Actually, I have a hard time with balance period... heh. I feel like anything I do, I have to dedicate all of my time to it. I find it very difficult to split my focus between several different things because I feel like I should be giving one thing all of my focus or else that one thing isn't getting my everything or experiencing me at my full potential. I almost feel like I'm cheating my work life when my mind is focused on family and friends, and I feel like I'm cheating my family and friends when I'm focused on my work life. I feel like I can't win no matter what I do.
Personally, I'm not pleased with the pattern that I see emerging. I work for a good while and give it everything I've got, and then I need time off... a lot of time off so I can focus on experiencing a different side of life... the side in which I enjoy my time with my family and friends, and cherish those moments for exactly what they are. This flip-flop attitude could be because I don't fully enjoy what I do right now, but I'm not so sure. I feel like I always need change. I can't do the same thing over and over again. I mean, I could, but I'm not happy when I do unless I mentally check out. I don't feel like myself when I mentally check out though... holy fuck. I have literally mumbled two paragraphs worth of this shit. Anyway, the bottom line is that I'm content with concentrating on one thing at a time... until I finally wake up and realize that it's not healthy to focus my attention on that one thing. I then switch my focus, and they focus keeps switching back and forth, but it's not a quick switch. Ugh, I don't even know, lol. I'm just frustrated.
Personally, I'm not pleased with the pattern that I see emerging. I work for a good while and give it everything I've got, and then I need time off... a lot of time off so I can focus on experiencing a different side of life... the side in which I enjoy my time with my family and friends, and cherish those moments for exactly what they are. This flip-flop attitude could be because I don't fully enjoy what I do right now, but I'm not so sure. I feel like I always need change. I can't do the same thing over and over again. I mean, I could, but I'm not happy when I do unless I mentally check out. I don't feel like myself when I mentally check out though... holy fuck. I have literally mumbled two paragraphs worth of this shit. Anyway, the bottom line is that I'm content with concentrating on one thing at a time... until I finally wake up and realize that it's not healthy to focus my attention on that one thing. I then switch my focus, and they focus keeps switching back and forth, but it's not a quick switch. Ugh, I don't even know, lol. I'm just frustrated.
I did something very similar. In the ad agency where I used to work, all the others my age were gunning for promotions and coin. I, on the other hand, looked at what jobs up the ladder would mean for me and I didn't actually like the nature of the work I'd be doing every day any more (and usually, quite a bit less) than what I was doing at my - lower - level. So, every time they wanted to promote me or time came to ask for a raise, I asked that I be kept in my current position but given more flexibility about which accounts I could work on and what clients I could deal with, and requested a small raise but a lot more vacation time. I've never for a second regretted it.And so I've made it my life's goal whenever I get promoted or re-negotiate my contract: ask for less money, in exchange for more precious TIME (extra vacation).
I feel that you should enjoy what you do and have fun while working. It makes you look forward into clocking in and making money so that you can sustain yourself. Other than that..... I'm with @Moby. I just want my bills paid so I can spend time with my peeps and LIVE.
I'm the same as @Ace Face , although I think this has a lot to do with age and experience. I'm currently at a job where I get very little time to myself. It's slowly drained all the life out of me and I live day to day in this hopeless void of non-existence. Problem is, I live in a very expensive town with little to no opportunity for jobs. I want to move, but I have to save up money, probably for another year. Hopefully I'll get a raise to make things go faster, but I'm not sure.
i absolutely love my job. I never saw myself teaching the ankle-biters when I was in college/graduate school. Now I can't see myself doing anything else. I was given the old advice when I was very young that "if you do something you love, you'll never work a day in your life" and I remember that every day.
Also...teaching teenagers adds enough "unpredictability" to my life that I never get bored...I am sure that helps me. Plus working with all those different personalities keeps me on my toes.
Also...teaching teenagers adds enough "unpredictability" to my life that I never get bored...I am sure that helps me. Plus working with all those different personalities keeps me on my toes.
Marketing here too and I feel the same way you do. ; )
Without work, I was much more depressed.
Eventually work gets to the point where I have to make a stand.
If I survive, then after the turmoil settles back down, I am even better of a person than before, with renewed confidence.
If I get outcasted, I go back into depression, work on my skills in isolation, and hope to find work another day.
Eventually work gets to the point where I have to make a stand.
If I survive, then after the turmoil settles back down, I am even better of a person than before, with renewed confidence.
If I get outcasted, I go back into depression, work on my skills in isolation, and hope to find work another day.
At the end of the day, I actually love what I do and the feeling of contribution and security that comes with having spent the day working.
Some days I absolutely loathe that I have to get up and go to work, because I would honestly much rather spend my day in the sunshine, reading a book, hanging out with friends, or just lazing about with my thoughts. And other days I am excited to go into work because it breaks up my day a little and gives me something to do.
Overall, I would love to go into business for myself. I don't like working for other people. I want to set my own rules, run my business the way I want to (they're so not open to ideas! it's really frustrating!), and know that if I don't feel like going in to work, I won't be losing out on money even if I have someone else cover my shift.
Overall, I would love to go into business for myself. I don't like working for other people. I want to set my own rules, run my business the way I want to (they're so not open to ideas! it's really frustrating!), and know that if I don't feel like going in to work, I won't be losing out on money even if I have someone else cover my shift.
I'm an attorney. I work for a "cause" that I believe in, but it still comes with politics, caps on my autonomy and, at times, following instructions that I don't support, which all drains me. I think I'm good at what I do, but I often feel like I'm mostly oiling the gears and I'm pretty burned out. The good parts and the security (ok, and inertia) keep me there despite the downsides, other possibilities and my awareness that I'm the one choosing to stay and limit my happiness. I sound like a real ray of sunshine, don't I lol?
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