To Work or Not To Work: Seasonal Excuses
Published: June 22, 2017
The hardest part about working is working in the digital age. Especially in a digital industry. We have to sit on our computers, typically in the dim light of an indoor office or café and work. When it’s time for a break, we typically don’t stray too far from our desks and end up getting sucked into the loop of social media refreshing.
This only causes more despair when we see our friends and peers enjoying the sun while we are tucked away like vampires.
One of the things people don’t really tell you about growing up is you do have to work full-time but sometimes there are days you get off. This is great when you’re on the receiving end but when all of your friends’ schedules coordinate perfectly for a free moment in time except yours you feel like a prisoner. Back in the day it wasn’t that big of a deal. You would hear them chat about going out but you’d get over it quickly as it was soon out of sight, out of mind. Nowadays, you have to watch the day unravel live with Instagram photos, Snapchat stories, and Facebook live. We are the generation of FOMO and I can tell you it sure does suck.
Now of course there is also the evil act of balance we have to take care of. We need to have enough money to afford the activities and we need enough time off to actually pull them off. So, it’s a double-edged sword of working and missing out, or joining the fun but ultimately having to veto an idea that may be out of budget. This is where I stand as I’m lucky to currently work part-time and have the availability to do things; but I’m unlucky in that I have to prioritize my funds. Now, when I try to psych myself up to get a second job or a higher paying one, I go through rollercoasters of excuses. First off, “it’s summer! Nobody wants to work more in the summer!” or “People right now are only hiring seasonally, nobody wants a full-timer in the slow season.” And before I know it, a whole season has passed and suddenly there is a list of brand new reasoning to not move on. “Oh it’s Fall? I don’t want to start a new job now or I won’t get the holidays off.” And then in December, “But it’s the holidays I want to spend time with friends and family. The New Year will be starting soon. 2018 New Year, new job.” And so on.
So I guess what I’m saying is no matter what, you will always have those days of missing out on something you really wish you could take part in. That’s life. But if you are trying to decide when is the best time to either find a new job or to really commit to more hours in the one you have — there will always be excuses. Someone pay me to write blog posts and I will be a happy clam living on the beach of (work) life. Until then, I’ll just be fantasizing. Fake it ’til you make it, right?
