With so many people hating their jobs and their bosses, I count myself lucky. With so many people simply putting in time and counting down the days until they ?find something better?, or retire, or win the lottery, I count myself lucky. With so many people not understanding the big picture of job satisfaction and the warm glow of meaningful contribution, I count myself lucky.
Too many people are stuck doing (or choose to do) something they hate or that makes them physically sick. The reasons are many: it pays well, It’s easy, It’s expected, It’s safer than making the leap to something better, it pleases a parent or spouse, It’s all they can get.
As the coordinator for a successful two-day festival I think I have the best job ever. For a personality like mine that resists the boring routine of a nine-to-five, forty-five-year career grind, this is perfect. I am sufficiently (and then some) challenged. This keeps my days interesting and my mind sharp. It requires all of my current skills (and then some). This keeps me learning and growing. It affords me freedom to get the job done and achieve the desired results without micro-management by a boss or a board. Of course, I’m accountable and, of course, I ask for input, but the day-to-day how-to of getting to the finish line is my own decision.
How and when I work is also my choice. That may mean working when the rest of the world is sleeping or at the beach or enjoying a long weekend. It may also mean taking the day off when family time or something special beckons. It also allows me to pack a laptop and work at locations other than my home office. Of course, a home office comes with its own perks and challenges. Working in pj’s is a perk; not being able to shut down is a challenge.
With less than three weeks to the festival, I’m on the home stretch. Appearing on TV is my least favourite but necessary part of the job. The artsy, creative part of me loves making centerpieces and designing on a dime for the venue. Still to be done is painting twelve vinyl panels for the poppy theme. Using found objects like birch branches and re-using parts of previous year’s supplies test my ingenuity.
Matching volunteers and jobs, organizing a work bee, planning the two-day hall set-up, and executing it all is a bit like putting together a puzzle. I love the challenge of making a work plan, assembling all the component pieces, creating the documents and forms, recruiting the right people, and getting the desired results. I know that past experience and lessons learned means not re-inventing the wheel. Thinking on my feet to solve new problems or create new aspects of the festival comes with the territory.
That’s why I believe finding the right job for you is worth the effort, from where I sit.
Hazel Anaka’s first novel is Lucky Dog. Visit her website for more information or follow her on Twitter @anakawrites.
