Why Are We So Miserable With Our Jobs?

So, Why Are We So Unhappy?

Sure, there are some obvious reasons that might come to mind right away. We are in the midst of one of the worst recessions in the past 70+ years. Plenty of people are out of work and unemployed, however, this survey doesn’t take those people into consideration. We’re talking about those who are actually employed.

Another reason might be pay. Employee wages are rising at a slower rate than inflation and over the past couple of years, many employers have offered no raises or bonuses to their employees. I’ve found this to be true where I work and the statistics show that it’s true in other places as well. But, is money really the issue here? A whole article could be written on the relationship between money and happiness, but in general, I would argue that more money does note equate to higher levels of happiness – at least over the long term.

MSNBC’s article does shed some insight into what might be the root of the problem. Workers are showing an increasing dissatisfaction with their interest and engagement in what they are doing. Now we might be getting to the heart of the matter.

I don’t think happiness in work is related so much to money or status or level as it is to the engagement and connection one feels with his or her work. The challenge with meaning is that it is completely unique to the individual. I certainly agree that there probably is a lack of communication, understanding and empathy between employer and employee, which causes a sense of disengagement and in worst case scenarios can manifest itself in extreme job burnout in employees. A shift in how we do our work and how the traditional corporate environment is set up needs to change, which I discussed in The Death of The Traditional Corporate Environment, however, a shift in ourselves needs to occur as well.

I’ve done many exercises as well as some heavy introspection on my career and jobs. I’ve said before that two of my most rewarding jobs, personally, were working as a line cook in a restaurant and on the grounds crew for a golf course. On the surface, these don’t seem like glamorous jobs, nor do they necessarily seem like jobs that have great purpose, however, I can’t deny that there was something about both of those jobs that spoke deeply to me and satisfied me on some level that I haven’t been able to find in other jobs I’ve had.

For me, it was the engagement I had with those jobs. In a sense, the work and I were one. There was no distinction or separation, and in doing the work I was able to get precious glimpses of the wholeness of my being. It was beyond being just ‘happy’ or ‘stressed’ or ‘frustrated’ or ‘elated’ because where do those feelings really come from? Was it just one thing or moment that I connected with? No, I don’t think so. It was the spaces between the moments. In those jobs I was able to fully experience a presence that is beyond what we usually can assign a label to.

I know, or at least hope, all of us have had these kinds of experiences, no matter how brief, in our lives at one time or another. Maybe an example would help.

What one would think is one of the most mundane and least desirable aspects of working in a kitchen is doing dishes. I certainly thought this to be the case when I first started and I resisted. I didn’t like it and I saw it as a chore. I wasn’t engaged in the process. Somewhere along the line, something changed. I don’t know when or how it happened, but I actually started to enjoy the dish washing. The process itself became a form of meditation to me. I discovered the wonderful state of flow that is so often experienced by top athletes, performers and artists. I was ‘being’ the work instead of just merely ‘doing’ it.

Meaning In Work

Can meaning be found in any type of work? I personally believe it can. I reject the notion that someone who is a garbage collector will be innately less happy than someone who owns a business, plays a professional sport, travels for a living, etc. I reject the notion that you are relegated to a ‘deferred lifeplan’ if you work in a traditional job setting. Your happiness, in fact, your life is at stake here and I think all too often we focus on outside factors to fix it. Become location independent. Travel. Become an entrepreneur. And on and on it goes.

While I do love travel and don’t want to discount it as a way to experience some personal growth, I want to point out something that you should ponder: Wherever you go, there you are. It’s the title of a book by Jon Kabat-Zinn, although I’m not sure where the quote originates from. The point is, it doesn’t matter what you are doing or where you go because wherever or whatever it is, there you are. Whether you’re sitting on a mountaintop in India or sitting in your cubicle, you are the same person. The question then becomes, ‘Who are you?’

That question is worth pondering and more than that, maybe, just maybe, we need to pause and focus on being and let the doing come out of that instead of the other way around.

So, how do we find this in the workplace? How do we get back to a place where we enjoy what we are doing? The first step might be some intense introspection. Questioning our assumptions and why we’re doing what we’re doing. Are we living and doing out of a place of true authenticity or are we living someone else’s life? What is your connection to your job? Are you there because you truly want to be there or is it for other reasons?

Our culture has become so obsessed with material possession and idolizing others (just look at the wildfire spread of gossip magazines, reality TV shows and obsession with Hollywood stars) that we are beginning to lose touch with who we are as individuals.

So, our first job and maybe our only job here is to get back in touch with who we are. What is it that we want to offer to the world? What is it that we want to do? These aren’t easy questions to answer and you may very well not be able to answer them. I’m certainly struggling with these questions myself. One thing you might try doing, which I have done myself, is just accept that you don’t know right now. Certainly keep questioning and pondering, but don’t force doing out of a place that isn’t authentic. When you do decide to take action, I hope the action is coming from the heart because if you follow your heart you will be sure to lead an abundant life.

Photo Credit: David Reece