Your Job Shouldnt Be Fun Work All the Time - The Muse

Your Job Shouldnt Be Fun Work All the Time - The MuseYour Job Shouldnt Be Fun Work All the Time Recently, I had drinks with some friends and a few of their friends. Eager to get to know new people, I started chatting with one particular person about her job. Her responsibilities include riding boats with fishermen to regulate the environmental impact of their work.After browsing through gorgeous pictures of her daily travels, I couldnt help but exclaim, Your job looks like so much funWhen I told her what I do- which is mainly sit at a desk and write stuff- it suddenly felt a lot less cool and exciting. Saddled with that newfound distaste for my seemingly boring desk job, I quickly reminded myself of something important No job is fun all of the time. You may say, But Alyse, what about Netflix watchers or ice cream tasters? What about people who work on movie sets, in breweries, or for video game companies?To which Id respond, sure, those could be fun- Id have no reason to think otherw ise (hit me up when I change careers to work at Ben and Jerrys). But, you know whats far more likely? Theyre also hard work, like any other job.I have a friend who has in fact worked on a movie set. Hell be the first to tell you that seeing famous people up close and being part of a film coming to fruition is pretty thrilling, but hed also admit that his day-to-day work welches surprisingly uneventful. Your job can and should be a lot of things- fulfilling, energizing, rewarding, challenging- but it doesnt always have to be fun. And you shouldnt expect it to be.This isnt to say that you wont (or shouldnt) be happy in your career, or that you wont have exciting moments. Interviewing one of the first undocumented lawyers in NY state and turning our work area into a creepy carnival for our companys Halloween desk decorating competition were truly fun experiences Ive had on the job. My point is that your role isnt necessarily meant to be a 24/7 enjoyable experience- thats why you get a paycheck for doing it. Your job will never (and isnt meant to) inspire the same sense of glee that say, riding a roller coaster, watching a football game, or partying with your friends on a Friday night does. And think about it If riding roller coasters was your day job, wouldnt it eventually become less fun? Watching Netflix on the weekends can be a blast, but if it was an obligation five days a week, dont you think itd lose that appeal?When I reconnected with that friend of a friend at aleidher gathering, I asked her how her job was going. This time, I didnt immediately jump in to say something about how awesome her latest trip looked, and Im glad I didnt. Instead, I let her vent about some of the more frustrating parts of her role (see, even she has them) and we talked about her long-term plans.Remember, whats considered fun is different for everyone, and it exists both inside and outside the workplace. But its not a constant and ever-present force. Realistically, you cant enjoy yourself all of the time- no matter where you are or what youre doing. Ill end on this note Be OK with a career that isnt always fun. Focus on the things that matter more- cultivating the skills and interests you value, making change that means something to you, and interacting with people who make you feel good. Its this stuff that proves that your career is about way more than just having a good time.