Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: Depressed Workers and Powerball

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Cynical Girl: Depressed Workers and Powerball

Posted: 20 May 2013 06:45 AM PDT

A good friend of mine is thinking about you. He’s a nice guy.

Me? I think it is time to take ownership for your experience at work. Depression is real, but sometimes I want to shake you and tell you that your funk is your own choice. I know you have complaints about work.

I am evolving on this.

Passion and engagement are a choice. If you choose your way into a lackluster job, you can choose your way out.
You don’t need a young CEO and a ping-pong table to determine whether or not your company is a ‘best place to work’. You know if the job is worth keeping.
You shouldn’t need ongoing and repeated feedback from your supervisor to know whether or not you are doing a good job. You’re not a child. You are smart. You went to college. You know the difference between a solid performance and phoning it in.

Some of you really do work in horrendous conditions where your boss is an [insert vulgar thing here]. But almost everyone who has access to the internet during normal business hours has a decent job. You might work with annoying people. You might face your fair share of obstacles. But you get paid for the bullshit in your life, unlike Bangladeshi garment workers.

If your job doesn’t pay enough, which many jobs don’t, you have two options: find another job or spend less money. Actually, I think you should do both. Spend less money. Save it. Then find another job. Keep spending less money. Stop being exploited by a consumer-driven economy.

And in your spare time — and don’t scoff at me because I know you have plenty — you could build a business that matches your values.

Mark Stelzner is right. There are some depressed people at work, today. But you don’t need to win Powerball to escape your depressing job.

You could start by escaping your attitude and making better choices.