“I don’t know how I can do this for the rest of my life,” a twentysomething told me, talking about her pressure cooker job. She was bemoaning the fact that companies today have fewer employees, everyone does the work of two or sometimes three people, and it’s harder to rise to the top.
I told her I appreciate her dilemma. The job situation is harder in our current economy. When I was her age, it seemed like jobs grew on trees, especially if you were talented and had chutzpah.
But we were still stressed back in the day, even if jobs were plentiful. The office politics, sleepless nights, 60-hour work weeks, employees (and bosses) who aggravated me, employees (and bosses) who I aggravated, endless hours at airports and on planes, incessant worrying about making quotas and how big our raises would be, not to mention whether we’d be promoted or dismissed.
Looking back, I don’t know how I got through it without a complete breakdown. But I wouldn’t have done it any differently. Work has, and will remain, an integral part of my life, warts and all.
0 Responses to ““The harder I work the more I live”–Shaw”
Maureen@IslandRoar says:
Every generation has their stress in the job and career market, no? I have friends re-entering the work force at 50 after divorce and being home with kids for 20 years. Half the time I feel like I’m faking it, with the make-shift library “career” and working at the writing. But I don’t really stress about it any more. Life’s too short. And too good.
Debbie says:
I’ve been unemployed for almost two years! It has been very difficult not being in the workforce, making my own money, having somewhere to go everyday. I work in the legal field … very high stress and I started in the olden days when we didn’t have computers! Sometimes I wonder how I did it all but I DID and I WAS GOOD at it. I do feel for younger people .. they will work harder, longer, and probably for less pay and deal with the same amount of stress. Though I really want to get back to work, I’m glad that I’m on the down side and facing retirement instead of just starting out my career.
Geri says:
Hi Marji,
Thank you, my dear Marji, for your wonderful comments. What was your profession?
Geri
Marjip says:
Geri, what you’ve accomplished is remarkable. Congrats! Working is an integral part of living. Even being retired, I find I’m working & putting in more hours than I did back then, just in a different way. My goodness, it keeps your mind inquisitive & body active. Wouldn’t want to vegetate. Just enjoy having no stress from others-perks of retirement.