Summary

The article emphasizes that one's job is a significant part of life, not merely a task to be endured, and acknowledges the impact of work on mental and physical health.

Abstract

The author of the article argues that the common phrase "It's just a job" is a misnomer and does not reflect the reality of work's impact on an individual's life. It highlights the prevalence of burnout and the inadequacy of coping mechanisms like staying positive or treating each day as a fresh start, given the unchanging stressors at work. The piece underscores the substantial amount of time spent at work, often surpassing personal time and sleep, and questions the societal expectation to simply accept the negative aspects of one's job. It suggests that the work environment, with its unreasonable demands and inadequate resources, is detrimental to health and well-being, leading to chronic conditions as noted by the CDC. The author concludes by encouraging readers to recognize their value at work and to consider leaving toxic environments that dismiss the significance of their roles.

Opinions

The author believes that the advice typically given to cope with job dissatisfaction, such as staying positive or venting for a set time, is insufficient and potentially harmful in the long term.
There is a critical view of the workplace culture that perpetuates the notion that one should accept and endure a toxic work environment.
The article suggests that the societal structure around work is flawed, as it expects individuals to sacrifice their health and well-being for their jobs without adequate support or resources.
It is implied that individuals are not at fault for struggling in a job with unreasonable demands; rather, the system itself is unjust.
The author advocates for self-awareness and self-respect, urging readers to acknowledge their worth and to seek better opportunities if their current job is detrimental to their health.

It is Not Just a Job

And you are not crazy.

I wanted to get that out there before we start.

Now…by show of hands, how many of us have heard the phrase “It’s just a job,” at least once?

I, for one, have heard it many times. In fact, I hear it at every team meeting. What’s funny (or not) about this is the number of phrases that usually accompany it.

‘Everybody complains about their job.’

‘Just go home and forget your troubles.’

‘Treat each day like it’s a brand new start.’

‘It’s just a matter of staying positive.’

But if all of this is true, then why is the Mayo Clinic’s advice part of over six million results for ‘Ways to overcome burnout?’

Why is there a poster in my office breakroom, telling me how to use my chair as an exercise regimen for warding off carpal tunnel and heart disease?

Why do I wake each and every morning filled with anxiety and dread?

Because it is impossible to start fresh with the same back-stabbing coworkers and tone-deaf bosses.

Because a positive attitude does not change unreasonable deadlines and anemic resources.

Because those phrases are a lie, but no one can bring themselves to admit it.

Think about this for a minute.

If you are anything like me, then you will spend more nights waking up in a cold sweat because of work, than you will have days when you don’t. Over the course of the next year, you will spend more time at work than you will at home. For those of us burdened with long commutes, we will spend more time at work than we will sleeping.

All of us will spend our healthiest, most vibrant years plowing away at our jobs, in the hopes that in the end, we will be able to retire, but in this economy, the odds of that become less and less with each year that passes.

Every few months, my office does a profile on high-level workers to talk about what they do, why they do it, and how they combat stress.

Now, one profile was about a man with a job title that only someone in the government could understand. The sort which forces the person to describe what they do or try to compare it to a job in the private sector even though there is no one-to-one. For instance, the closest thing to my position would be a cross between an administrative assistant and data entry, though neither really covers all that I do.

This man’s title was listed as the assistant secretary to the Under Secretary to the Director of Such-And-Such Division and he said he and his partner had the perfect routine for overcoming burnout.

As soon as the assistant secretary walked in the door, his partner could tell by the look on his face that he needed to vent. So they would start the timer on their kitchen clock and the assistant secretary would word-vomit for the next thirty minutes straight.

Once those thirty minutes were up, all venting would cease, even if he was in the middle of a sentence, and the assistant secretary claimed that this helped him to stay sane and focus on his day-to-day job.

Now, if you’re like me when I first read this article, you’re probably thinking, ‘Hey, that sounds like a great idea! I think I’ll try it.’

But before you ask your wife, or husband or partner to pick up an egg timer, I want you to sit with this idea for a minute. Let it ferment.

Because every day of his life, this man will dedicate himself to a job that regularly drives him to incoherence. And I can’t help but wonder what the long-term effects will be.

According to the CDC more than eighty percent of us will suffer from at least one chronic condition by the time we reach retirement age, but these are just the physical conditions, like heart disease and arthritis.

Mental conditions like depression, anxiety and dread tend to be the sort of illnesses that follow us into old age. And by giving credence to the pat answers above, we’re not only missing the point, but we’re also doing ourselves a disservice.

What we do for a living will take up the lion’s share of our lives. What we do will kill us one day. We all know it. But by saying ‘it’s just a job,’ it becomes our fault for not being able hack it. It’s us who weren’t tough enough or smart enough to plan decades ahead, not the system which is unjust.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I have a tendency to repeat myself. But some insights are worth repeating.

It is not just a job.

And you are not crazy.

Nor are you the problem.

You are the one who keeps the wheels from coming off the cart. Hold onto that. Savor it. And then fire up the old resume, because any place that tells you, ‘it’s just a job,’ is no place you want to stay.