Why Cleaning Toilet Is More Enjoyable Than Corporate Job

I tried both and toilet cleaning wins by far.

Five long years have passed since I turned my back on the corporate world. All those voices that said I’d be sorry for leaving were so wrong; they told me I’d never find a job with such a huge gap in my resume, that I’d end up bored and alone — or worse, on the streets.

But here I stand, stronger than ever before, proving them all wrong.

Because none of it happened.

Why?

I found something more enjoyable: cleaning the toilet.

I know you laughing right now or you think I went bonkers.

But let me explain.

If you read my previous articles then you know I live off the grid in Spain and cleaning our composting toilet comes with the lifestyle.

When I’m at the farm, most of my time is spent dealing with animal waste; whether it’s chicken dropping or dog poop, it all needs to be cleaned up.

In addition, horse manure comes in handy when I need to fertilize the garden. It may sound gross, but it doesn’t bother me at all.

Actually, I enjoy this more than any work, I ever did before.

I mean the corporate job. Previously, I wrote about it in a story called Why I Will Never Work Again which summarizes:

…this job was as you may call it — a living hell.

I completely forgot how corporate companies babysit you with stupid rules and behave like we are all children back in school. I lasted for almost a year, after which I couldn’t take it anymore. It was soul-sucking and within a year I became depressed, hated my life, and was unmotivated.

It was hard to wake up in the morning and put the computer on. However, it made me realize that this isn’t me who is a creative and independent thinker.

Honestly, I didn’t understand at first how could I enjoy more cleaning smelly waste than having a 9 to 5 job but then I read Tessa Schlesinger -Ahead of the Curve article about Why I Love Work and Hate Jobs and it made all sense:

There’s a difference between work and a job.

Work is about doing something that has a direct impact on fixing up, inventing, or creating something that ensures not only one’s survival, but that does it in such a manner as to improve one’s quality of life and well being in such a way as to be meaningful.

I don’t like jobs. I don’t think I’ve ever been happy in a job in my life. I found jobs stressful, meaningless, often boring, filled with the strife of office politics, and a waste of my life.

I feel exactly the same about work vs. job. It is not only about cleaning human or animal waste.

No.

I don’t have some kind of weird fetish. Overall, I enjoy the whole farm package: gardening, caring for animals, cooking, and canning.

I enjoy the farm work way more than I do creating a PowerPoint presentation, but that’s not my point.

The true reward comes from feeling fulfilled and having a purpose- something I never experienced while working a 9-to-5 job.

I even created my LinkedIn profile to reflect my joy from the work, I do.

Look at my Profile, I am so proud of it:

Homestead CEO and Head of Chicken Division

Mar 2022 — Present · 1 yr 7 months Güejar Sierra, Andalusia, Spain · On-site

I am the fearless farm girl boss, ruling over three acres of land.

The chicken division is under my watch, with four new chicks recently hatched. I have ten chickens and one rooster as loyal employees, the best team a leader could ever ask for. For security we have two Dobermans; Darwin and Maya, both one and a half years old.

After 10 p.m. they patrol the grounds, letting any intruder know that crossing these boundaries would be a huge mistake. But despite their intimidating exterior, when not on duty they are kind and gentle.

This annual harvesting season we have canned 25 jars of plum, apricot, and cherry jams. And currently, tomato sauce is in production. Our permaculture garden is growing wild with a diverse variety of vegetables. We are still harvesting and in the meantime, we have new seedlings of cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and leek.

Skills: Project Planning · Project Coordination · Program Management · Organic Farming · Permaculture · Animal Care · Great Cook

Being outdoors all day and doing this meaningful work is incredibly rewarding and humbling.

I am always in touch with nature, and nothing is more peaceful than listening to birds singing at dawn.

I know, I don’t earn income from this work but I provide healthy food for my family, and I share it with my neighbors, as well. This work gives me joy knowing I am doing something beneficial for the environment.

Corporate work made me not only miserable, but ill, depressed, and consumeristic.