No matter where you are in your work day or whatever you are doing, I want to ask you one question. Do you like the work that you do? That’s it! Just one question, do you like what you do for a living?
Chances are or more accurately statistics indicate that you are not very happy doing what you do for a living. A recent Gallup poll reported that 70 percent of American workers are disengaged and/or uninspired at their places of employment. The Poll states that only 30 percent of American employees believe that they are reaching their full potential and are doing something that they feel connected to and passionate about.
What does this all mean? Why does this even matter? It means that 7 out of 10 parents spend the bulk of their day, 8 hours or more doing something that they feel blah, ambiguous about or worse hate. It matters because too much of our lives, one-third or more of our days are spent being unhappy.
Unhappiness Has Accidental Consequences On Your Children
Imagine for a moment the effect your unhappiness has on your children. Your discontentment in case you didn’t realize it is infectious. Like smallpox placed in the blankets of Native Americans distributed by General Lord Jeffrey Amherst, your children are bound to get a heavy dose of unhappiness that is transferred from your current state of job disengagement and dissatisfaction.
First, your child adopts the regrettable perspective that work is something you do to survive and not something you do out of love. Thus, it should come as no surprise that your child expresses no joy when you assign certain tasks – work – for them. Before you know it, all the things you consider their jobs, are all the things they hate. Hating school, unenthusiastic about doing chores, junky room, poor grades, unfocused about the future… are all examples of a child who has been infected with the parental virus “I Don’t Like Where I Work” or “I’m Not Passionate About the Work I Do”.
It’s as simple as A,B,C and 1,2,3. Your children hate the jobs you assign for them because they have watched and listened to you express little excitement about the place you work or joy about the work you do. Now, thanks to you, not practicing what you preach – “do what you love”, “follow your passion”, “if you love what you do the money will come” – your children associate work with unhappiness.
Second but certainly no less important is the emotional and physical toll doing what you don’t enjoy has on your life. Research suggests that disliking your job or working in a disengaging environment is not only bad for your mental health but it has been linked to increased health risks such as heart disease. How can you be the best parent possible when you are slowly dying inside and out?
Good News
There is good news. Life doesn’t have to be this way. You can actually live an enjoyable life, make a great living, have a great time with your children all while putting into practice those wonderful quotes we continuously espouse to our children – “do what you love”, “follow your passion”, “if you love what you do the money will come”.
However to find out how you get started, how to be happier at work so that you can be a better parent, how to begin doing what you love, how to make money following your bliss…you will have to come back to read part two.
When it comes to employment are you teaching your children to hate work? Are you aware of the accidental consequences not liking your job has on your children?