Live to work, or work to live?

My feeling is the best is a bit of both - for someone with a high degree of intelligence and a pretty sharp analytical mind you need challenge - but the jobs that give scope for this are always going to need some level of personal commitment. The ones that don't are going to be deadly boring or frustrating, or both in the end. We used to employ a large number of contract software developers (just an example not a recommendation) who seemed to have the best of both worlds, though they were only as secure as their next contract - they had some really great projects to work on with us but they could go home and sleep nights when the permanent staff couldn't very easily!

A reason to avoid the extreme end of work to live is that circumstances change. For example, when our children came along, for about 10 years we had less time or cash while we learnt how to be parents and then kept the family show on the road. For some people their family is all they need for fulfilment, but for others work can be the outlet that gives you your balance, some welcome challenge, companionship and a feeling of value at this time.

But I'd avoid investing my heart and soul in live to work. I'm quite good at photography for example, and it gave me a great contrast to my employment in a large corporate. Becoming a professional photographer would have killed it dead for me because it would have been laden with all the heavy hand of commercial drivers, deadlines, travel, the demands of other people, etc. I'd have ended up hating the work and losing photography as a major form of expression for myself. Or if I'd aimed at senior management positions and been unlucky enough to get one, I'd have burnt myself out and would have sacrificed my home life considerably.

It can feel really contrived, but it's good to sit down and try and work out what your life goals are, what your deepest life values are, and where you would like to be 5 years, 10 years, even 20 years from now. It can make it easier to judge whether a particular work opening in the present is the right one for you or not - is it consistent with your goals and values? If it isn't than either you should reject it, or you should revise your goals - it makes things a lot more objective. Thinking of the skill with which you navigate the various psychological models, I think this sort of analytical process may be something that comes quite easily to you.
 
Ginny said:
I think it is fairly self-explanatory. I have a choice to make which I have put off for way too long, and I can't seem to find the answer to this question.

Should I just work so I can pursue my passions privately and perhaps change directions later? Or should I dive (blindly) into a direction wherein the work would take up all my energy, if not more?

I'm almost certain that I already have made my decision, whether it turns out to be the right one or not, but it's still a question that I'd like your perspectives on.
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I decided to work in my field of interest. Whilst I love the field, turning your hobbies into your work tends to kill any energy and fun you have regarding them in your private time. The reason is this. When your passion is a hobby, there is no stress behind it like there is when it is your work. In my case it's a creative field, which pretty much means I end up having to apply my creativity by creating things other people want.

When you end up doing that, it makes it very hard to still do your own projects, simply because it's too close to work and your biggest source of stress then. That said, if your passion is creating a stock of something, like for example making jewelry, not on demand but simply jewelry you like to put on etsy or something, then it's a different ballpark.

What it comes down to is this. IF your passion that currently is fun for you is something that creates demand instead of answers it then it will stay fun. If your passion is something that you will pursue in the form of answering demand, then it will cause you stress.

It also all depends on what you imagine your life will be like. For example, it doesn't make sense to study for something if you're not able to do it from home if you decide to become a stay at home mom in the future. Likewise, if you go career, it makes more sense to go for something that fits the lifestyle you believe would fit you best with that.

I don't know your passions, just the choices I made and how I feel about those and about other choices with the hindsight provided by my own choice.
That said, do what feels right for you. ^^ It helps to make a list of what you want in life though and to see what choice works best with that.
 
Well in my case I started playing in bands when I was young, it was all I wanted and thought that would be my lot and I was fully contented, yes you read that right, an infj fully contented, but as time went by I met my wife and along came our children and the band life just couldn't make enough money to look after my family so I started a 'regular job' it was something that I really liked so it never really felt that bad but it was a 9 to 5 job and I always had a dim view of them, I dont know what advice to give you, lots of people value security and money over happiness, I never did personally but I had a family to look after so I took that way for them
 
An update to the OP stuff and following (for those interested): I think I have found something that has a (long-term) future, with a direction of growth integrated into the job. It would be growth in a way that I might get to move into introducing my passion into my job, but with lots of other (more work-type) things taking more time from it. That way, I'd be working in a way that it feels like work, but I'd still be surrounded by my passion, to remind me of what I do it for. I believe I might try to pursue this path even if it doesn't work out with that particular station. Who knows, maybe I won't walk away from the station either, depending on whether I like it or not. Either way, the first hurdle has been jumped - I got an interview scheduled.
 
Ginny said:
An update to the OP stuff and following (for those interested): I think I have found something that has a (long-term) future, with a direction of growth integrated into the job. It would be growth in a way that I might get to move into introducing my passion into my job, but with lots of other (more work-type) things taking more time from it. That way, I'd be working in a way that it feels like work, but I'd still be surrounded by my passion, to remind me of what I do it for. I believe I might try to pursue this path even if it doesn't work out with that particular station. Who knows, maybe I won't walk away from the station either, depending on whether I like it or not. Either way, the first hurdle has been jumped - I got an interview scheduled.
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Yeahhhh! Way to go Ginny.

I'm sure you'll do well :relaxed:
 
Wondering more and more if this might not be a false dilemma; but otherwise, I'm more decisively in the "work to live" camp these days.
 
Ren said:
Wondering more and more if this might not be a false dilemma; but otherwise, I'm more decisively in the "work to live" camp these days.
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Do you mean that it's not an either/or situation, or that the who idea of existence predicated upon productivity is erroneous?
(Do those words make sense? It's early and I'm reducing my coffee intake so I just said some things, and I'm not sure if it's all just nonsense)
 
Tin Man said:
Do you mean that it's not an either/or situation, or that the who idea of existence predicated upon productivity is erroneous?
(Do those words make sense? It's early and I'm reducing my coffee intake so I just said some things, and I'm not sure if it's all just nonsense)
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Yes, they make sense and that is what I meant. :)

At least, the idea that existence predicated upon productivity is the only kind of existence possible is erroneous.

The either/or between "live to work" and "work to live" implies that life and work necessarily go together, but perhaps this need not be the case.

This reminds me of a quote by Theodor Adorno: "Free time is shackled to its opposite".
 
Ren said:
Yes, they make sense and that is what I meant. :)

At least, the idea that existence predicated upon productivity is the only kind of existence possible is erroneous.

The either/or between "live to work" and "work to live" implies that life and work necessarily go together, but perhaps this need not be the case.

This reminds me of a quote by Theodor Adorno: "Free time is shackled to its opposite".
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Hah. I'm glad. I've had coffee today so words should work good.

I very much agree with that line of thought, and like that quote a lot. So much that I'm going to steal it.
I think the way we see work today is pretty unhealthy. So much of life is work, but it's not seen as having value in our society.
Getting up, putting on clothes, washing self, driving. All of these require effort and take up energy. But they aren't equated with work because we believe they are just a part of life.

There's an idea called Spoon Theory in the disabled/chronically ill community. And I think it can be applied to even people without any physical/emotional issues.
Maybe help people realize that the things done outside of work also have a cost. And should be regarded as such. Not just "stuff you have to do". Sure it's good to take care of oneself, but so much of what's considered normal life things are related to productivity. Life and work have become so intertwined in capitalistic societies and most don't even realize it.

I was unemployed/employed in small companies for a large part of my adult life. And so when I starting working for bigger organizations or corporations, what really astounded me was that lunch isn't considered part of the work day. Which really shouldn't have surprised me, because driving to and from work isn't paid for, nor is the fuel you buy. Some places even have mandated toilet times which aren't paid for. What's next? Will walking to your desk be taken out of your pay?

This stuff has become so deeply ingrained in society, it's seen as normal. When it really isn't. No matter what the propaganda, or broader consensus says, it is a messed up way of living.

Sorry for going on a bit. TL:DR Eat the rich.
 
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Tin Man said:
Maybe help people realize that the things done outside of work also have a cost. And should be regarded as such. Not just "stuff you have to do". Sure it's good to take care of oneself, but so much of what's considered normal life things are related to productivity. Life and work have become so intertwined in capitalistic societies and most don't even realize it.
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Yes, I agree. Life and work have become so intertwined that we talk completely naturally about a "work / life balance". It is quite alienating socially to be outside of the productive system, as I can currently attest. And yet, could this be the test of true freedom? "He does not like being alone does not love freedom, because one can only be free in solitude." (Schopenhauer)
 
My wish is to put myself in the live to work camp soon. Including things like general self-cultivation, reading, etc. into "work".

It'll be difficult at first. But I'll make it happen.
 
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