Work Happiness: A Must-Have or Delusional Fantasy?

A while back, I was interviewed by Karl of Work Happy Now. He asked some pretty neat questions that really made me stop and think. I’d been meaning to link to it for a while now. Better late than never, I suppose. Go here for the full interview, but here’s an excerpt:

Karl: On a scale of 1-10 (10 being very important) how important is work happiness to you? Why did you pick that number?

Jason: I would have to say 10. As a teenager, I worked at a car dealership and hated nearly every minute of it. But I knew it was only a part-time job. Even more troubling were some of the mechanics who worked there that also seemed to hate every single minute of it. I decided right then and there that I’d do whatever it took to find a job that made me happy. Now that doesn’t mean it’s always easy or fun, but the challenges are what help make it interesting. Life is too short to spend most of it doing something you hate. Life is also too short to spend most of it doing something you only kinda like.

If you are feeling down, what do you do to lift your spirits?

Eat something comforting, like a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. If I’m ready for something a bit more productive, I’ll go for a walk, bring my iPod, and listen to songs that remind me about God’s love for me. My down moments usually are the result of me drifting too far away from him.

What is your biggest detriment to enjoying your work?

Just like anyone, it’s super easy to get bogged down in the details of the day-to-day. The stuff that piles up, needs to get done, and takes on an overblown sense of urgency. It’s always a challenge to keep from confusing the urgent with the important; a lot of the stuff we get stressed out about doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in the big picture. It’s important to regularly stop and reflect to maintain a sense of perspective. If you get too caught up in the busyness of life, stress piles up and you miss out on some of the best stuff.

If you could give work happiness advice to someone just starting their career in 140 characters or less (Twitter style) what would it be?

Don’t wait for permission. Follow your dreams. Work really hard. Don’t give up. And most importantly, don’t forget to have fun along the way.

{ Read the whole interview here. }

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