I have finally managed to shift one of my jobs. While the money was useful, it was not mandatory. I recently read a fascinating article (can’t remember when, can’t remember where…) which stated that most jobs were simply swapping your time for money. When it is articulated in this fashion, it really puts the whole business of working as a means to an end in stark perspective.
I have been busting a gut recently, for reasons that for the most part, evaded me. I think that there were two reasons behind it: the money, and the ability to boast about the fact that I was so busy and therefore, important. Therein lies the problem: In truth, The money was not great, and when I explained to people exactly what I do with my spare time I used to get ‘interesting’ looks. Seems that I could not differentiate between awe and the unnerving belief that I was quite possibly insane.
Then I realised that I was suffering for it. Between two jobs, the degree, family and so on, the stress set in. (Yep, there’s that look again) Something had to give. It could not be the main job; I need the money too much and I have been there long enough to have some standing in the company. It also could not be the degree; I have invested too much time and money into this to give up now. So the part-time job went.
Considering that it was only five hours a day, one day a week, the difference that it made to my like has been immense. I can enjoy my weekends again. I have more time to spend with my family, on my degree if I need it (and with level three just around the corner, that’s virtually a given!) and, most importantly, I can start writing again so that I can hit the ground running when the summer break comes around again.
I think that I have discovered that work and money are not the be-all and end-all of getting on in this life. Yes, I may have taken a cut in overall money and the ability to save it, but the emotional and spiritual rewards far outweigh anything that I could have gained by staying there. Now the next big goal is to eclipse the wages that I used to make with the fruits of my writing career… bring it on!
