Thursday, October 3, 2013

Ramblings About The Workplace

Let me first start by saying that I don't hate my job.  I don't wake up in the morning and dread going to work.  My boss doesn't suck and I'm not drastically underpaid.  I know why I'm there, and for the most part, I've made my peace with it.

That doesn't mean I love my job though.  My job doesn't inspire me or give me the flexibility I'd prefer.  I'm not particularly proud of the work I do.  Don't get me wrong, I have an amazing work ethic and I'm proud of that, but I'm not changing the world or anything.  I'm not saving lives, teaching children, protecting our country, etc.  It's just work.  It's what I do to make money to support my lifestyle.  

Which brings me to my first mind boggling thought.  I don't know how it happened, but over the last 10 years I've created a lifestyle for myself that requires that I work.  The mortgage, the cars, the fancy vacation and the designer handbags.  I drag my ass out of bed every morning at 5:30 because I have to.  At some point I know I had to have made that choice, but I swear I never consciously said yep, this is what I'm choosing for my life.  None the less I signed on the line little by little and here I am today with a heck of a lot of responsibilities and little luxuries that I'm paying for by spending 40+ hours a week at a job I'm not crazy about but that pays well.

That said, it's not too late.  I know I could make some big life changes, sell the house, fire the housekeeper, trade in the fancy car, but I don't.  This is my life and I'm attached to it. 

Instead I slap myself together and march into my ever so glamorous office.  I sit in a beige cubicle amongst a sea of beige cubicles.  I wear makeup to work once, maybe twice a week.  I eat in my car, or a shabby lunch room where people sit and complain about their jobs.  Women dress like total slob kabobs, myself included.  There's no color, nothing sparkly, nothing fun.  It's quiet, morgue like.  People think that because I work for a well know brand or because I get to plan our companies parties that I'm living some glamorous existence from 7:30 to 5:00.  Does this look glamorous.


I eat way too many vending machine snacks and sit on my ass for 8 hours a day.

And you don't really have "friends" at work.  For the most part a corporate office is kind of like going back to high school.  People gossip, rumors run rampant.  Everyone has an agenda and rightfully so.  You may have buddies that you go to lunch with, but ultimately that's it.  I recently had an experience with a work "friend" who got upset with me because I didn't tell them what I knew about some changes at work.  Well I'm sorry, but I'm not going to jeopardize my good standing to give you information that's not mine to give.  Risky business having friends at work.   

And my last thought for the day, ladies particularly, stop making excuses and start asking for what you want.  Whether that's a raise, more vacation time, whatever.  No more of this, "Well, I'm going to wait until X happens before I ask, or I'll see how this next review goes."  Blah, blah, blah.  If you work your ass off and have good solid evidence of a top notch performance, go after what you want.  The man sitting next to you would.

Did I miss anything guys?  How do you feel about the workplace?  TALK TO ME, Please :)

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