Being undecided in life - Life vs Work

I've come to the point in my life where I feel like I'm living to work rather than working to live. It's been a few years since I've been able to enjoy my life due to my job(s). I'm not married yet so I have some freedom as far as being able to change careers, but how does one go about changing their jobs in hopes of finding something they can enjoy doing every day? I've taken many different elective classes in college hoping to find something which interests me with no success. In the span of 10 years, I've had 5 or 6 different jobs where I just couldn't find any kind of enjoyment in them. The only thing which I felt any kind of "happiness" in was a part time job which paid very little. The only reason why I left it was because of the strains it put on my body. This has put me into a kind of depression where I feel so unmotivated to do anything.

The key to gain success in working is, we don't have to do what we love, but we must try to love what we do.

In early of 2000's I tried to build a speed (racing) shop as my dream business. But I faced difficulties to reach my dream, especially in capital matter. In the same time someone offered me to take over a courier agent in low price. It's not my dream job, but I saw it as an business opportunity, then I tried to love my job. Alhamdulillah, from working alone now I can employ several employees and can fulfill my family needs from this business.

The problem for me is I make pretty good money doing what I'm doing now but outside of work, I don't have time to enjoy life. I think there should be a balance between working and life outside of work. The only time I was able to achieve that was through my part time, low paying, physically demanding job. I'm not as young as I used to be so I don't think I could handle that kind of work anymore. The problem with my good paying, full time job now is that I'm always working overtime and by the time I get home, all I can do is wash up, eat and sleep. My weekends aren't even a guaranteed time off because I'm sometimes made to those days as well, more often than not.

I'd love to work for myself or just have a job where I can work by myself at my own pace. Those types of jobs seem to be in the minority around here. That, or I'm just looking in the wrong places.

The reason why I chose to be a businessman is freedom. If I have my own business then I have freedom to determine what and how I should do. I've ever worked as employee too.

I can understand if you feel tired and bored with your job. But you are afraid you will lost your good income if you move to another job. I can understand it because you are not the only person who have this problem.

There are only two alternatives that you can choose. First, try to love your busy activities. Try to find the pleasant things in your job. Second, you should dare to leave your comfort zone. It's mean you should dare to lost your good income and start your new career with low income.

Like if said, you are not the only person who have this problem. Even this problem get special attention from motivators, and from what I've noticed, the motivators usually suggest the second alternative.

But bro, it's depend in you.

Asalamualykum

I know how you feel - i can be very indecisive when it comes to career and job choice and i get very bored easily if the job isn't very challenging. I think if you do some voluntary work in the areas which you think you may be interested in for example, teaching, social work, probation, engineering roles etc this will help you decide whether you want to do this particular job for the rest of your life.

As long as you don't forget to read your salaahs, and don't forget Allah swa in the job that you do then its a successful role. If the job makes you forget Allah swa then don't bother pursuing that role.

You can visit this website for more information http://www.prospects.ac.uk/

Don't let the job distract you from the real goal - i.e. the hereafter. The job is only needed to get through daily life, pay the bills, buy the necessary etc.

Wish you all the best - hope Allah makes it easier for you to decide! Ameen

ardianto said:

The key to gain success in working is, we don't have to do what we love, but we must try to love what we do.

In early of 2000's I tried to build a speed (racing) shop as my dream business. But I faced difficulties to reach my dream, especially in capital matter. In the same time someone offered me to take over a courier agent in low price. It's not my dream job, but I saw it as an business opportunity, then I tried to love my job. Alhamdulillah, from working alone now I can employ several employees and can fulfill my family needs from this business.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but I have to ask, how do you find it having employees?

All my working life iv done so alone. Now I have a few members of staff and find it very difficult to reconcile who they are with what I want them to be.

Its genuinely strange as I consider them equal if not greater most of the time...on a personal level..

But am afraid of becoming a tin pot dictator or scuttled by my own crew lol.

Ultimately everything comes down to faith I guess.

M.I.A. said:

I'm sorry but I have to ask, how do you find it having employees?

All my working life iv done so alone. Now I have a few members of staff and find it very difficult to reconcile who they are with what I want them to be.

Its genuinely strange as I consider them equal if not greater most of the time...on a personal level..

But am afraid of becoming a tin pot dictator or scuttled by my own crew lol.

Ultimately everything comes down to faith I guess.

Click to expand...

When I ride taxi I trust the driver. So I don't tell him how to drive. But if I see he drive with the way that can lead to accident I will remind him to drive carefully.

That's what you must do in leading your business. Trust your staffs. Let them do what they must do. You must sure that they can. But when you see they make mistake, you must remind them.

I'm sorry to hear life isn't going your way at the moment. Try to focus on what you do have going for you instead of what you don't have - and always have faith and be sure to pray to Allah. He will answer you, he is the most merciful, most loving.

ardianto said:

When I ride taxi I trust the driver. So I don't tell him how to drive. But if I see he drive with the way that can lead to accident I will remind him to drive carefully.

That's what you must do in leading your business. Trust your staffs. Let them do what they must do. You must sure that they can. But when you see they make mistake, you must remind them.

Click to expand...

yeah i kinda get that.

unfortunately i have a low opinion of drivers at the moment..

and yet nobody hardly ever crashes.

il quit while im behind.

ardianto said:

The reason why I chose to be a businessman is freedom. If I have my own business then I have freedom to determine what and how I should do. I've ever worked as employee too.

I can understand if you feel tired and bored with your job. But you are afraid you will lost your good income if you move to another job. I can understand it because you are not the only person who have this problem.

There are only two alternatives that you can choose. First, try to love your busy activities. Try to find the pleasant things in your job. Second, you should dare to leave your comfort zone. It's mean you should dare to lost your good income and start your new career with low income.

Like if said, you are not the only person who have this problem. Even this problem get special attention from motivators, and from what I've noticed, the motivators usually suggest the second alternative.

But bro, it's depend in you.

Click to expand...

I've been watching videos about motivational speakers and you're right, they do lean towards the latter. Taking the risk to leave your current situation and start fresh. That's pretty much what every video I've seen speaks about. The problem with me is finding that other thing to do. If I quit now, what do I do? I literally have no interest in anything. I grew up and graduated school being undecided which is why I've had so many jobs. When I got into my current career, I thought I finally found the one. After a few years of doing it, I kept thinking to myself if this is something I can do for the next 25-30 years until I retire and I don't feel it is. If I want to make a change in my life, I'd rather do it now than 10 years down the road.

Protected Soul said:

Asalamualykum

I know how you feel - i can be very indecisive when it comes to career and job choice and i get very bored easily if the job isn't very challenging. I think if you do some voluntary work in the areas which you think you may be interested in for example, teaching, social work, probation, engineering roles etc this will help you decide whether you want to do this particular job for the rest of your life.

As long as you don't forget to read your salaahs, and don't forget Allah swa in the job that you do then its a successful role. If the job makes you forget Allah swa then don't bother pursuing that role.

You can visit this website for more information http://www.prospects.ac.uk/

Don't let the job distract you from the real goal - i.e. the hereafter. The job is only needed to get through daily life, pay the bills, buy the necessary etc.

Wish you all the best - hope Allah makes it easier for you to decide! Ameen

Click to expand...

The biggest problem is my job takes up so much of my time that it is distracting me from the hearafter. Even when I do have time to pray, I'm just mentally tired from my job and all the stress surrounding it that all I want to do is go straight to bed. I think what I need to do is just find a part time job somewhere and take advantage of that extra time I get to figure out where I want to go in life.


:jz: to everyone for your input.

In business, the way to increase profit is not through minimizing the costs, but through optimizing the costs. In this matter the company can pay the employee high, but they will give many tasks to this employee because they want to get optimal result for the salary that they pay. But unfortunately companies often forget (or ignore the fact) that human have limit of capability in working.

You have good salary, don't you?.

Okay, anonymous poster. Although you are very busy, you must be still have off day like in Saturday and Sunday. Use these days to relax, look around, and think about the step that you will take.

May Allah give you easiness.