I am sick and tired of my job; in fact I would go as far as to say that I hate my job. I am a mid-level manager in the Marketing division of my company. It is a well reputed company, and I can honestly say that the remuneration/perks of my job are at par with the industry standards. I had got into this role as it was a well-paying one; I have done fairly well, achieved targets set by the company, travelled abroad extensively.
However, there is not a day that goes by, without me wishing that I did not have to go to work. I am tired of the environment, the office politics, the deadlines, and the targets… the lot. I get really stressed out at times and feel am much older than my age. I also have not taken a holiday for quite some time and my family is on my case on that. I feel that I have wasted my life chasing material dreams. I just feel like running away from it all. What should I do?
Welcome to the world of “I have it all but mazaa nahin aa raha hain”. As you cruise into your exclusive parking lot, sitting in the backseat of your high-end vehicle, remember that you are one of the few chosen ones who can lead the life that you have. You have the luxury of cribbing about all that has come your way, in airconditioned comfort. But you, unfortunately, do not have the guts to dump it all and escape into the wide unknown. It is very, very difficult to surrender all that power and material comfort.
Of course, there is a price to pay — as an employee, you will always have a boss and have to follow orders, however fancy your designation may be. There will be a vacuum in your life as you cannot really be ‘free’ from the golden chains that bind.
But there is a way out of the jungle, if you have talent. Any talent that you can monetise. Then you don’t have to ‘work’ for a single day of your life. Identify and list down. Make a structured plan. Weigh the pros and cons. Consider your familial responsibilities. Take a decision. In or out?
If you find that you don’t really have any such talent which can bring in the dough, then it is time to accept your fate, at least for the moment. Make peace with your environment. This is not the right time to just quit.
The next job might bring you equal grief. People are the same everywhere. The current business environment in our country is not really conducive to job hopping. Realisation of all this will make you appreciate all which you have on your plate. Believe me, it is quite appetising, if not absolutely delicious.
Take a break with your family. Go to the current hotspots like Madagascar or Tashkent or the West Indies. Rest and rejuvenate. Return with new vigour and zest.
(The writer is an image consultant and corporate trainer. If you have queries for him, send them to features@sakaaltimes.com)
