Our jobswhat we dohover heavily over our very existence.
Now, all I hear about is burnout andThe Great Resignation.
Either way, the conversation about our lives is always a conversation about our work.
Why do our jobs have to dominate so much of our life?
What if theres another way to look at work?
Maybe your job is just a job.
I like my job, but the job that I do doesnt define who I am.
As much fun as fussing over words can be, technical writing is not my passion.
Given my past jumps across jobs and industries, it may not even be my career.
And thats ok.
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But its also something that you could use to your advantage to help you further your personal goals.
Learn skills that will increase your pay.
My friend Liz got her masters degree program fully reimbursed by the school where she teaches.
She learned new skills and got a pay bump once she finished.
At Zapier, where I work, employees have a budget we can use for conferences and continuing education.
Ive used mine to learn more about things like project management and content design.
Learn skills for personal fulfillment.
Another friend of mine, Nina, asked her employer to pay for her art classes.
In the meantime, she got to do something that brought her joy.
Learn skills to switch roles.
Have you ever been interested in another throw in of job?
Mika, a user experience researcher here at Zapier, started on our recruitment team.
Whatever form they take, youve earned them.
If a store clerk was giving you $5 in change, would you refuse that?
Years ago, I had a second job as a restaurant hostess.
It didnt pay much, and it didnt provide insurance, paid leave, or company-matched retirement contributions.
But what it did offer was a meal for each shift that I worked.
I earned a paycheck, saved money on food costs, and got to eat at a high-end restaurant.
That was something I couldnt afford on my own, so it was a great perk.
My coworker, Deb, just used her office setup budget to buy a fancy new Wi-Fi router.
Her Zoom calls dont lag anymore, and side benefither Netflix now streams like a beast.
Use your job to build relationships
I know, I know.
This sounds like a fairy tale ending.
Ive even made lasting friendships through work.
(Sorry, I had to wrap it up in the fairy tale ending after all.)
So yes, its ok to view your job as just a jobI do.
But that doesnt mean the paycheck is the only thing thats valuable about it.
This article by Michelle S. was first published on the Zapier blog.
Find the original posthere.
