In the past, when I was job-searching, the only thing that mattered was how much the job paid. Considering the money is not a bad thing at all, but it definitely doesn’t suffice to take jobs solely based on how much money you stand to make. Other things, like how much time you get off work and whether you actually enjoy what you’re doing, are important.
A lot of people only define it (flexibility) in terms of time: do they have enough free time to rest and do other things? But really, flexibility can mean very different things for different people. For some people, for instance, flexibility is about not being stuck in a rut. The thought of getting a job where you’re literally doing the same 2-3 things bores such people to death. They can’t stomach the thought of it.
Caged up in the shackles of a 9-5
A few months ago, I took a certain job and quit it in less than a month of working there. One of the strongest reasons I quit was the rut it kept me in. It was a – come to work at x, do y, then z, go for lunch break at a, get back at b, and close at c – type of job, and it damn near drove me insane! The repetitiveness aside, it demanded all of my day. Literally. I would go to work around 7 a.m. and get back home around 8 p.m. I couldn't use my phone at work, had to shave my beard constantly, yadayada. Even though I loved what I was doing, it wasn’t how I saw myself living in 5 years, so quitting just made sense. But I left because I had options.
Responsibility doesn’t care
My case was honestly a little better because I loved what I was doing. I would’ve been twice as miserable for those 3 or 4 weeks if I absolutely hated the job description itself. Sadly, that’s the case for a lot of people: although they don’t like what they do, they stick with it because that’s what puts food on the table, and it’s the only thing available.
Responsibilities don’t care whether you’re excited about what you’re doing. Neither do they concern themselves with your complaints about being in a rut. Bills just keep piling up. Because of that, I have great respect for people who are able to put aside their own desires for checklists they’d like their ideal job to have to stay with it. That is selflessness at it's best. But even with this respect, I believe we can all agree that that’s not a healthy way to live. It turns people into ticking bombs, waiting to explode.
Just like the job I quit, the job I currently do is far from where I see myself in the next 5 years. I love what I do, but I’m only here now because it’s a pivotal point in my career. A stop for me to gather the essentials I need and slowly build the momentum I need for where I’m headed. It’s hella flexible though.
I teach senior high school students, and I am in class about 3 days every week, leaving me with 4 days to myself. On the surface, this sounds very flexible. But outside class, the responsibilities I have are even more. The good thing is, more often than not, I am able to pace myself with my own deadlines and preferences for what to work on and when, and that’s more flexibility than many people get. I wish I could say that with this flexibility, I have a great work-life balance, but that’ll be a discussion for another day.
Arigato
All images are mine.