Wow! Time’s flyin’ by. It’s already the first blog of the month again. We’re up to Chapter Seven in my book, Finding Your Inner Moose, “A Moose Does What a Moose Does Best,” and it’s about work. More specifically, findin’ the job that’s right for you.
Like in a lot of self help books, this is the section where I talk about leaving your job as a receptionist and turning your design for the perfect paper clip into a multimillion-dollar corporation.
Well, not exactly, but I do see articles like that all the time. I find them inspiring, but a little depressing—kind of like that “half their size” issue of People magazine. I don’t have any brilliant business ideas, and even if I did, I’m not interested in running my own company.
I do think that a big part of livin’ the good life is doing work that’s right for you—that plays to your strengths. But how do you find that work, right? You can start by asking yourself, “What do I love to do?” Now, it’s real easy to get bogged down when asking that kind of question because you start thinking about specific jobs like gardener or movie critic or cookbook author, which narrows the field right off quick and eliminates a lot of jobs that you might like. Plus, it can seem like such a big leap from where you are to where you want to be that you end up closed for business before you even start.
I believe asking yourself more general questions will help you come up with possible jobs that are a good fit for you. Here are some examples to help get you headed in the right direction:
- How much security do I need?
- Do I want to work for the town, a business, or for myself?
- Do I want flexible hours or a set schedule?
- Do I like interacting with people or being by myself?
- High heels or comfortable shoes?
- Dress up or dress down?
- Do I need to be surrounded by beautiful things or good smells?
- Do I want every day to be different or do I like a routine?
- Indoors or outdoors?
- Do I like sleeping late or am I an early-morning person?
- How do I like to work? For example, some people like a job with strict guidelines and a due date. Others like seeing what needs to be done and doing it without being asked. Then there are the people in between who want to be given a job and a due date, but be left alone to do it. Which are you?
To help find out, ask yourself important questions like:
- What’s the best job I ever had?
- Why’d I like it?
- What parts of the job I have now am I not so crazy about?
- What parts do I like?
That last one was really important for my sister, Irene. She’d been working at Mahoosuc Mills Savings Bank for years and liked it okay, but felt she needed a change after our mother died.
“What do you like most about the bank?” I ask her.
“Well,” she says, “I like it when someone like Frances Mitchell comes in, and she’s in a mess with her checking account ’cause Harold took care of all the finances. Then he up and died and left her clueless. So Frances comes into the bank and I help straighten things out and teach her how to use a checkbook. I guess that’s what I like best.”
“Do you like doing that with just older people, or all ages?”
“You know, I think I really like working with older folks, helping ’em out.”
“Well, you were great with Mom when she was sick.”
So now, Irene works down to the Senior Center. Sure, it pays a little less, but money isn’t everything. Irene helps folks with all sorts of things: organizes drivers to take ’em to appointments, plans activities, and does her fair share of light bookkeeping. And, it turns out, Irene really loves that every day is a little different, as opposed to the bank where it was pretty much the same routine. She wasn’t miserable at the bank, you understand, but now she’s genuinely happy. And that happiness and the energy it brings ripples over into the rest of her life, and things seem more balanced.
Summer means vacation. It’s all about takin’ a break from work, right? But if you’re not feeling happy and satisfied with your job, it may be a good time to really think about these questions. Sometimes, you need a little distance in order to see the big picture. Give it a shot!
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side! Hope to see you this summer!
IDA’S PODCAST: Finding the Job That’s Right for You
Comin’ Up This Week:
July 2: Book Reading, Belfast Free Library, 6:30pm
July 13: Signing and Featured Reader, Books in Boothbay, 11:30am-3:30pm, Boothbay Harbor, ME
July 14: Book Reading, Casco Public Library, 4:00pm
July 16: Book Reading, Rangeley Public Library, 6:00pm
July 20: Book Signing, Mooseville, 12:30-1:30pm, Farmington, ME
July 20: I Married an Alien!, Western Maine Storytelling Festival, 7:00pm, Farmington, ME
July 22: Book Reading, Huntington Common, 2:00pm (changed from 3:00), Kennebunk, ME
July 25: The Moose in Me, The Moose in You! Keynote Speech, DKG 2013 Northeast Regional Conference, Portland, ME
August 16: I Married an Alien!, Deertrees Theatre, 7:30pm, Harrison, ME
August 17: Islandport Authorfest, Book Signing with John Ford and Mark Ricketts, Kittery Trading Post, 11:00am-2:00pm, Kittery, ME
August 22: Ida: Woman Who Runs With the Moose!, ACT ONE Festival 2013, 2:00pm & 8:00pm, Portsmouth, NH
August 29: I Married an Alien!, ACT ONE Festival 2013, 2:00pm & 8:00pm, Portsmouth, NH
For details, please check out the schedule page on my website: http://www.idaswebsite.com/schedule