Today I was talking to my boss and he mentions to me that he has trouble finding people who are willing to work as hard as he does. (He works insane hours without a break-EVER). He explained that there was plenty of time to rest......when we are old, incontinent, and bedridden!
Personally I have never talked to an elderly person who regrets working too little. They always regret not enjoying life, or not spending enough time with friends and family.
So tonight a few of my girlfriends and I went to see the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Without ruining the whole crux of the movie, I will tell you that this young idealistic girl who wants to be a journalist ends up working for a fashion industry mogel. In the movie, she is always having to sacrifice her personal life for her boss's calls and outrageous demands. While I am in the movie, someone pages me. It's dark, so I can't read the number, but I think to myself I will go out and call them back in a minute. Well then I notice that someone tried to call my cell phone too. I notice that it is none other than my boss! I walk out of the theater and call him back, all to find out that he was worried that my pager wasn't working, and since I hadn't called back in 15 minutes, he tried calling my cell phone. Then when he couldn't reach me he called a coworker to get my home phone. When I called him back, he says that he had a patient say they paged the nurse and no one called back. I explained to him that I hadn't received any pages, and that I did receive his page. So then he asks for my home phone for future reference.
Isn't it ironic?
Don't you think?
A little too ironic?
I keep telling myself that this is just short term-until I hire more staff, but I am starting to wonder if it will ever be enough. I wonder if my boss will ever understand my desire to have a life outside of work. I know that I am making some sacrifices for the sake of my career, but ultimately I know that my desire is to be a mom and I won't let my "job" dictate my life. I think the saddest part of it all is wondering just how much of life my boss is missing.
Obviously we have to work-but to what extent?
We work so hard, to have so many things, so that we can work more to have more things that we never really enjoy.
This past month I haven't been able to just be in my house during the day. I didn't even realize what I was missing, until last weekend. Kyle and I were both at home and had nothing on the agenda. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was able to enjoy my home as opposed to just sleeping and eating in it.
Life was meant to be lived, and living encompasses much more that just work!
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2 comments:
Kristy, very good post. My dad actually uses that phrase all the time. He worked his brain cells off for years till he got fed up with it and took early retirement in '88. He had the luxury of being able to do that. But I believe he also realized that he lost the years his children had grown up during.
I read devil wears prada, and will see the movie next week. I think it is satarical but really is part of the world we now live in.
Being in a few jobs myself, even ones that were my own business, and then watching jeff in various jobs it seems there is no job that there isn't a demand of more than just your work time anymore (is there? i mean a career job?) Whether it is your clients taking more of your time, or your boss expecting it. Seems no one has the right bounderies anymore. expectaions are that if you give a rip about career or your job you will work work work and that will be your sole passion. bummer. In a world with treo, internet, ichat, work is so hard to turn off isn't it!
All to say i think we ALLLLLLL understand and maybe it should be talked about more how to balance it all, how to have the right bounderies. I know my uncle who has a successful biz going into large corporations and teaching the leaders HOW to lead and so on really stresses being 100% there while you are at work, and 100% in your personal time when you aren't at work, and knowing where those lines are... but how can you do that if your clients or your boss don't understand (whatever situation you are in).
There is that verse in proverbs... i should search for it... that talks about how we work in toil all our lives and have nothing to show for it. or something like that.... or maybe it is ecclesiastes. You know what I'm talking about. I'm a firm believer in having things you are commited to outside of work. It helps keep perspective. I think it is great you guys have your church for that.
Anyway, I'm sorry about your boss. But seems like a normal modern biz owner.
And on IVF... keep me updated, i will pray. I would love to hear more about how the process actually works.
Love you and miss you. I really wish to come to orlando soon. We'll see.
Glad to see you blogging! It is sad to say but most people are slaves to their work/jobs. I truly agree with you and Elizabeth...we need to have a good balance and be firm believers of commitments outside your job.
I read the Devil wears Prada and I can so relate to her. I'm hoping the movie is as good as the book. We'll see.
I'll be praying for your IVF process.
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