“Never continue in a job you don’t enjoy. If you’re happy in what you’re doing, you’ll like yourself, you’ll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you’ll have more success than you could possibly have imagined.” - Roger Caras
Minimalism has many benefits. It gives freedom, time, and reduces stress. Minimalism also reduces the amount of money that is required for survival. And as a result, it allows the opportunity to choose a job not based solely on the amount of the paycheck. If we can survive on a smaller budget, we are free to weigh other factors in choosing a job. Embrace minimalism. It opens up brand-new opportunities.
To enjoy waking up in the morning, consider these 12 factors to look for in a job other than a paycheck.
- It makes a positive difference. Choose a job that adds value to our world, that leaves it better than you found it, and genuinely helps other people.
- You enjoy your co-workers. Given the fact that you will spend a large percentage of your day at work, be sure you enjoy the people around you. It is comforting to know that they support you, cheer for you, and work together as a team.
- You feel appreciated and valued. A paycheck is nice, but that goes straight to the bank. On the other hand, appreciation is something that you carry in your soul every day. This appreciation can be communicated through respect, unexpected gifts, or just an old-fashioned “thank-you.”
- You are trusted. It’s nice to know that somebody isn’t always looking over your shoulder. And that when you are given a task, you are given the freedom to complete it.
- It is something you love to do. The old adage is completely true, “Find a job that you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Look for a job that keeps you motivated by its very nature, not solely by the paycheck – because that wears off real fast.
- It fits your personality. Anyone who has ever taken a personality test knows that we all have unique personalities that thrive in certain environments. Some enjoy working with people, others enjoy completing tasks. Some like making the decisions, others don’t. Find a job that fits your sweet spot. And by the way, if you keep getting this one wrong, there are people who can help you with this step.
- It challenges you to grow. Look for a job that will make you better. Whether through challenging assignments, educational opportunities, demanding excellence, or informal mentors, a job that forces you to grow beyond your current skill set will make you a better person and it, a better company.
- The company’s values align with yours. At the end of the day, your integrity is what matters most. Don’t compromise it every time you walk into the workplace. If you are at a job that requires you to suspend your personal convictions, you don’t need to be… nor should you be.
- A flexible, results-oriented culture. A culture of flexibility suggests a results-driven focus. One that is more interested in you successfully completing your job with excellence than clocking in a set amount of work hours during a specified time of the day.
- It values family. You value your family. Your job should too.
- Brings balance to life. Work is not so bad when you love it. But if you are not allowed to explore other endeavors (play/hobbies/family) because of its demands, it is not healthy for your soul, life, or body. Find a job that allows you to enjoy your life outside of work too.
- It brings you satisfaction. The ability to look back at your day, your year, or your life with satisfaction is more valuable than any number of digits in the bank.
This post is the result of a question I asked a few weeks ago on Becoming Minimalist. Thanks everybody for all the input. I think you wrote a wonderful, helpful post.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
For people like who me have always been entrepreneurs, taking a simpler approach to life allows me to choose the jobs I create for myself based on many of these same factors.
I’m decreasing my reliance on my used bookselling business to return to a career as a full-time writer. Among the many reasons for my blog is re-honing my writing skills.
Satisfaction, though, is the ultimate reason for any action in life.
great things to think about….i am a preschool teacher and I think my job fits all of them..and I am proud to say that I absolutely love my job!!
What a great post. My job as a newborn intensive care nurse meets these points perfectly for me. I could make more money as a travel nurse or in management, but then I would lose the love for the job and I can’t imagine how that would trickle down to affect my family.
I have just found your blog and I am so inspired by it. My hubby is a tutor with at risk youth (13-16yrs) that have been exited out of mainstream education and often have criminal records. We have taken a huge pay decrease but he is so much happier and Im a great budgeter, simple living kind of girl.
I’ve noticed that most of these factors are related to your emotional state and its relation with your personal environment. I completely agree that any job you are willing to do for the long term should have those factors.
But I think there are also a couple of practical factors (other than the size of your pay-check) that could greatly improve your life. Things like formal or casual dress-code, the ability to take the day off, enough time to develop your personal interest and the commuting distance. If I had to choose between jobs where I would be in traffic a couple of hours every day or having that time to sit at home in your garden enjoying life, I wouldn’t hesitate.
Great post. I do have to say that actually getting a paycheck is a pro as well ;) Of course all reasons listed above are much more important!
Nice to have found your website.
Vincent
Being able to do work you love (and the 12 factors you include above are good ones) is worth a lot more than a big paycheck.
Perhaps in these economically hard times, more and more people will start to work for love rather than money and find they are ultimately happier.
I’m a free lance writer, and I love to get paid for my work, but I volunteer about half of my writing (for newsletters of environmental organizations and the like) and that feels very good.
Ideally, as Vincent mentioned, I love to work on a project that I think is meaningful AND get paid. But minimal living makes it possible to do both.
Denise
Great ideas to keep us on track. When out walking with my husband about 3 months ago, I told him that there was something lacking in my work life. We were both surprised as I really liked my job, got on really well with everyone, and felt valued at work. We talked at length – and then it came to me! I have always worked part time for large organisations, and had recently started volunteering at a school working with children who need extra help due to autism, aspergers, cerebral palsy or perhaps they just need more help with intellectual stuff. I realised that I wanted to “grow” someone’s quality of life instead of “growing” a corporation’s profit. Within a month, my volunteer position became a permanent paid one – and I have all the school holidays! Now all I need to do is minimalise my home – one item at a time!!!
Love reading all these benefits! Totally agree. One benefit in my house is more hiding places for hide and go seek!!
Thanks for this wonderfull post. I just graduated from college and I’m in search of a first job. Some of these reasons didn’t spontaneously come to my mind. Ultimately, I think satisfaction and a good work-life balance are the key to finding a good job.
Wonderful post. Very timely for the moment. I am applying for promotion in my job and the first thing I considered was the paycheck, then again i decided to surf for more advice. At least i know what to consider in choosing the right job. Paycheck does matter, but much more does satisfaction.
Thank you so much for this website.
Lanny
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