Valentine’s Day Special: Connecting Love & Work

Think for a minute about what you love. Family and friends probably top the list – maybe a sport or hobby. Is it possible, or even right, to love your job? For many, work is a necessary evil. It isn’t to be enjoyed. After all, that’s why they call it work and not having fun.

I’ve seen both sides. I’ve had jobs I’ve loved and jobs I’ve dreaded. After experiencing both, I believe that you should either love what you do every day, or be making a plan for change.

This is because when we love what we do:

We can give things our all. We do best what we are the most passionate about. Sure, you can fake it for a while, but eventually your work will suffer. When we make the switch to doing work we love, the quality of our work improves, and new opportunities start to present themselves.

We have more energy. There is nothing as tiring as doing work we don’t find meaningful. When you come home at the end of the day, do you feel completely drained? Or do you feel energized from what you accomplished that day? I’ve found the more engaged I am at work, the more energy I have throughout the day to tackle the next challenge at work or home.

We improve other relationships. We have more to give our families, friends, and loved ones outside of work when we love what we do at work. Trying to give everything to your family while miserable during the day is like trying to drive a car with a flat tire. You can do it for a while, but it isn’t a good solution.

We all have to do work we don’t love from time to time, and sometimes it’s okay to not love your job. However, those times are much easier when you know it is temporary and you have made a plan to improve your situation. If you have never thought that work was something that could be enjoyed, I hope you will at least consider the possibility that it can be. And not just for the luck few – but for you.

I also want to thank each of you who have made Monday is Good a part of your weekly routine. You have truly turned this blog into something I love.

Question: What is stopping you from doing work you love?

http://billgrandi.com/ Bill (cycleguy)

I love what I do. Almost every day i wake up excited to get to the office. On the days I don’t it is usually fatigue or a rare headache that makes me wonder. But getting to the office changes things. I have a 2 mile drive so don’t have much time to ponder what is ahead. My wife doesn’t understand since she is in a job she dislikes.
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  I love hearing about folks who love their work – that is the whole reason I do what I do here. Thanks for sharing. What do you think would have to happen for your wife to love her work?
  - Trek23rider
    
    Quit. lol She is 62 and works for the BMV. Lots of stress but she is working for the insurance and the extra money. Otherwise, we would have trouble making it.
    - http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
      
      I get it…sometimes you have to do what you have to do. 62 is too young to hate going to work everyday…hope she is able to make an escape plan at some point in the future!
http://www.danerickson.net/ Dan Erickson

I love teaching. I love writing and and making music, creating, even more. Nothing is stopping me from doing either. Money keeps me from doing what I love the most as a living. One day, I believe that will change.
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  It seems to me like your work as a teacher allows you to write and be creative, so I can see why you landed there…and I know you are making music from your blog!
Mairi Ciccone

I love my job because of the people I work with mainly. I have to agree with Dan – the thing that keeps me from doing other things Iove is money…….
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  The impact we have on others (and they have on us) can be a huge reason we stay in a job. If money wasn’t an issue, what would you do?
http://www.lifeofasteward.com Loren Pinilis

The energy difference I feel between doing things I love and things I don’t is palpable.
What’s stopping me from doing the work I love? There are things I love about what I’m doing now although it’s not 100% my perfect scenario.
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  Working for yourself you are probably further down the road to doing work you love than a lot of folks. What’s the biggest thing that would have to change to make it 100% perfect?
  - http://www.lifeofasteward.com Loren Pinilis
    
    I don’t really think it could get much better in my current job – or rather I should say with my current clients. Not that things aren’t good – it’s just that I’m at the point where a major change is probably the next step. That’s something I’m implementing gradually though. I think picking up some new clients in the next few months might help.
http://dreamjobprogram.com/ Drew Tewell

I like my day job and I also get to pursue my dream job on the side. So life is good, and definitely better than when I had a job I didn’t like. Thanks for sharing, Tom!
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  I’m right there with you – it is a good place to be!
http://www.theinspiredday.com/ Melanie Wilson

You’re right on the money. I emailed this to a friend. I’m blessed to love what I do.
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  Thanks for sharing the post, Melanie. I’m equally as blessed to love what I do both in my day job and off hours.
http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

I’m only currently doing work I love when I’m off the clock: writing and connecting with like minded people. I’m working on finding a job more alined with my purpose, passions, and talents. Great post!
- http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon
  
  Hopefully it will be soon you can say that about your work on the clock, as well as off!