It doesn't matter how much you like or don't like your day job, or how much you think they need you or don't. When it's all said and done, they don't (and won't) matter.
But you do, and you will.
Look, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you need to clock in tomorrow morning, curse your boss out, and tell that one coworker about themselves before storming out forever. By all means, fantasize about this moment every chance you get (I certainly do), but you need your job to pay rent or the light bill or tuition, so that's not what I'm implying. I AM saying, however, that you deserve to take on or take back as much power/say-so from your employers as you can.
Think about your day-to-day. Think about your week. The majority of it is focused on work—the act of working, preparing for work, unwinding from work, dreading work, having work on your mind even when you're not there. You practically spend all of your time with your head in something work-related, you lose sleep over it, worry about it, stress over it. And what do you get in return for your sacrifices and services? A check, and that's it.
How insulting!
You give a corporation or entity or institution some of the best years of your life, study your ass off for up to two decades and accumulate a tremendous amount of student debt just to be taken seriously in your field, give up some of the most precious things money can't buy (time, freedom, health, peace, etc.) all for the sake of survival, and your employers, knowing all of this, still decide to (under-)pay you and call it a day, knowing damn well it'll never be enough.
Smh.
Most of y'all don't even like your jobs, and only a handful of y'all can tolerate your position. Meaning your job does all of the above and manages to steal away your happiness and/or sense of purpose. Now you tell me it's worth it in the long-run. You tell me you're content with this whole set-up.
I'm not judging. I myself have a job that's decent—not my dream job and certainly not what I want to be doing right now, but surely better than any other job I've ever had. My previous job drained me of everything good and only poured into me things that were bad. I dreaded every day of my life, even the days I wasn't at work. I put my head down and did what I had to do, but to a fault. So I get it. My sentiments still stand: standard employment (especially in the context of developed countries, especially in the U.S.) is a scam and we're all being taken for a ride.
But this does't just go for people who aren't happy with their jobs. Even for those of you who love your jobs and are excelling in your careers (i.e. doctors, lawyers, teachers, financial advisors, etc.), having a fulfilling job that you're passionate about is still enough to kick the crap out of you every day. So no matter which way you roll em, odds are your job is taking from you more than it's giving to you.
Because that's every job's job: to drain every possible resource from its employees in exchange for a small fee, all for the sake of making more money on the backs of their exploited employees.
And in all of this, who looks out for you? Your employer sure as hell isn't. They can't even be trusted to give you adequate notice before firing you for whatever reason, while simultaneously expecting you to extend this same courtesy. They don't look out for you because they're too busy looking out for them.
I'm not saying these things to be cynical or to be a downer. I'm only trying to put things into perspective and make one lasting point: it is your job to look out for you just like it's your employer's job to look out for them.
No one is gonna take care of you but you. It sucks, because we all deserve more than what we're getting from our employers, but it's the truth. When Rep. Maxine Shaw famously reclaimed her time on national television, she did so not only because it was within her right, but because she had the power to do so. The majority of us don't work in a courthouse and must do more to reclaim our time, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. After all, it is within our power to do so, more than we realize.
Looking out for yourself doesn't just look like taking a mental health day when needed or requesting a raise or being transparent with management about your workload or even standing up for yourself in any capacity at your job. It also looks like picking up a hobby outside of work, going to bed earlier, drinking more water, meditating on something peaceful or positive. Looking out for yourself looks like making sure your job doesn't control other areas of your life. It looks like doing what you can to put the balance in work-life balance. And yes, it also means cutting yourself some slack for the things you lack or can't control, especially when it comes to how much of yourself you give to your job, your household, or anything else that requires your effort.
Sure, it's not always a walk in the park.. Having a life outside of work that consists of meaningfully relationships, activities, and time spent is difficult to acquire and maintain. Hell, I'm struggling to get my own shit together. But it is worth it.
I've begun to dedicate myself to making sure I have a peaceful home to return to once I clock out, and to taking a piece of that peace with me when I clock in. It's been the small things for me, really: having a nightly routine, watching my shows (I've even begun watching more anime and it's been nothing short of epic), even having "random dance parties for one" in my living room so I can relieve stress and stay limber. I'm doing all of these things because I can—because it's the little bit of my life that I can control on the day-to-day outside of work. The more I do, the more of my power I take back; the more time and energy and peace I have regardless of being drained of these things for eight hours a day, five days a week.
Saying "F it" has never felt so freeing, because this time I mean it AND I'm doing something about it. I'm literally putting the 'F' back in 'Freedom' when it comes to me and my life. I refuse to go out sad.Because I'm more than just someone's employee: I'm a person without a title, a person all by myself, a person who says "F it" and takes back what's hers.
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