Monday Motivation | Your Job is Not Your Life

I know it’s not Monday, but after a long holiday weekend coming back to work made me even more compelled to share this message. I’ve had aspirations to work corporate my entire life. When most little girls were playing house, I was playing lawyer, or store, or someone working vigorously at a computer with a pile of papers. I wanted to work. I loved the idea of being a powerful business woman and ordered my steps to be sure I positioned myself to become one. When I began my career after graduation, I was so excited; anxious to see what I could accomplish and how quickly. I still love my job and the people I work with, but when I started to recognize that my growth was determined by what a corporate company was willing to grant me, it really made me reevaluate my dedication to my job. The more I become in tune with my purpose, and where my life is headed, the more I become turned off at the idea of being dedicated to corporate companies year after year who only pay you a fraction of what you’re worth.

Women especially feel the need to work twice, or even three times as hard to become a valuable asset to our companies. We understand that there’s a huge difference in what we’re paid, how quickly we’re promoted and even how seriously we’re taken in comparison to men. We feel so compelled to be the first one in the office, the last one to leave, to be connected 24/7, to respond quickly, to sacrifice your own personal time in order to serve the company that cuts your check. You pass on family vacations, girlfriend getaways or even your children’s memories because you have to “work”. We do things for our companies that we wouldn’t even do for our closest loved ones, all to be rewarded or recognized. We give our employers the best of us, only to get home depleted and give our husbands, partners or even ourselves what ever is left over.

Your job can not be all that you do, or all that you are. It can not be where we assert the most of our energy, dedication or flexibility. Think about all of the things you’ve been wanting to do or the changes you’ve wanted to implement that you haven’t gotten around to because your job requires too much of your time and energy. You can’t make it to the gym, your daughters dance recital, or your friends birthday trip. You haven’t had time to try the new recipe you pinned 3 months ago, or crack open the new book you bought last month, or brainstorm on the business idea you’ve been sitting on for however long because work takes up all of your productive time. Your job may like you, your job may even care about the well being of you and your family – but if they needed to, your job would replace you tomorrow. Listen to me when I tell you to quit feeling guilty about using your PTO. It’s yours! Whether you want to use it for a spa day, or to sit on your couch alone with a book or your laptop – use it. Call in sick when you don’t feel well or need a day to mentally recharge. At the end of the day, shut down your computer and leave your work at your desk. It will be there tomorrow.

“Your Legacy > Your Job Title”

When it’s all said and done, how do you want to be remembered? More importantly, what do you want to remember? Will it be by people saying “she was a really great employee”? or will it be them saying how you were a great friend, daughter, sister? Do you want to be someone who is admired due to accolades or do you want to inspire people based off of how you chose to live your life? I beg you to find things to love outside of your job or everyday responsibilities. Challenge yourself. Try something new and dedicate yourself to it. Stick with things if they make you better. Practice discipline. Exercise change. Life is so much more than what pays your bills and you have so much more to add to this world and to your life than what your paycheck says you’re worth.

It’s a short week ladies, make it amazing! xx