I have no idea what you do, so I can’t comment on your exact situation. My guess is that, if you were freed from life-support tasks such as earning money to buy food and shelter, and spending time to prepare and maintain said food and shelter—then you would, at the very least, have more hours in the day to spend on doing those things you enjoy.
I’m currently a student in my last year of nursing school. The best job I’ve ever had was this summer, as part of a program where Ontario hospitals hire 3rd year nursing students to work as non-reglemented health care providers and follow a nurse around on a unit of their choice. I got my first choice, which was the intensive care unit, and I was excited to go to work for every shift–including night shifts. I was sad when my every other weekend off came around, because that meant 2 whole days of not being up to date on what was happening on the unit.
I think the reason I liked that job so much, and expect to love nursing as a career, is that it involves all five senses in a way that your standard office job doesn’t. I rarely got to sit down at work. I saw some of the most interesting things I’ve ever seen in my life. Being someone who is basically immune to disgust–I don’t know if I really know what being “grossed out” feels like–and who has quite a poor sense of smell, was likely helpful. I acquired a reputation of being extremely curious and wanting to help everyone, and the nursing staff happily answered all my questions and would come find me to show me anything interesting. The staff was also awesome–I was surrounded by motivated people who liked being busy and hated being bored. I also had tons of awesome anecdotes to relate to my (usually grossed-out) friends and family. I found it personally meaningful, being there to make a difference in people’s lives. And I learned a lot–working there for the summer gave me a huge advantage going into my fourth year of nursing school.
So some of it is likely the fact that nursing in general, and ICU nursing in particular, is hardly ever boring–if I worked in an office doing spreadsheets and answering emails, I probably wouldn’t like going to work as much. But it’s also the fact that little things make me disproportionately happy. I’ve really liked working as a lifeguard and swim instructor at a community pool, too, and I still like it after doing it for 5 years–it’s something I’m good at, I get to play in the water, I get to teach adorable children and see direct results when I teach them to swim, the parents usually love me, and I’m on good terms with the staff and get my daily socialization in while working there. I’ve had incredibly fascinating conversations with fellow lifeguards while “buddy-guarding” during boring 6 am shifts, and I’ve made friends with all the regulars. I wouldn’t volunteer to lifeguard, but I probably would teach swimming lessons for free, if only a few hours of the week–why waste a skill I’ve spent years acquiring, not to mention one that’s fun to apply?
An ordinary middle-class citizen can study astronomy in his spare time—or, if he’s lucky, during the course of his main job. A multi-billionaire can launch his own space program.
100% agreed. Money gives you a lot of leverage and influence in the world. Being a billionaire would be useful for making the changes you want to see happen.
I’m currently a student in my last year of nursing school. The best job I’ve ever had was this summer, as part of a program where Ontario hospitals hire 3rd year nursing students to work as non-reglemented health care providers and follow a nurse around on a unit of their choice. I got my first choice, which was the intensive care unit, and I was excited to go to work for every shift–including night shifts. I was sad when my every other weekend off came around, because that meant 2 whole days of not being up to date on what was happening on the unit.
I think the reason I liked that job so much, and expect to love nursing as a career, is that it involves all five senses in a way that your standard office job doesn’t. I rarely got to sit down at work. I saw some of the most interesting things I’ve ever seen in my life. Being someone who is basically immune to disgust–I don’t know if I really know what being “grossed out” feels like–and who has quite a poor sense of smell, was likely helpful. I acquired a reputation of being extremely curious and wanting to help everyone, and the nursing staff happily answered all my questions and would come find me to show me anything interesting. The staff was also awesome–I was surrounded by motivated people who liked being busy and hated being bored. I also had tons of awesome anecdotes to relate to my (usually grossed-out) friends and family. I found it personally meaningful, being there to make a difference in people’s lives. And I learned a lot–working there for the summer gave me a huge advantage going into my fourth year of nursing school.
So some of it is likely the fact that nursing in general, and ICU nursing in particular, is hardly ever boring–if I worked in an office doing spreadsheets and answering emails, I probably wouldn’t like going to work as much. But it’s also the fact that little things make me disproportionately happy. I’ve really liked working as a lifeguard and swim instructor at a community pool, too, and I still like it after doing it for 5 years–it’s something I’m good at, I get to play in the water, I get to teach adorable children and see direct results when I teach them to swim, the parents usually love me, and I’m on good terms with the staff and get my daily socialization in while working there. I’ve had incredibly fascinating conversations with fellow lifeguards while “buddy-guarding” during boring 6 am shifts, and I’ve made friends with all the regulars. I wouldn’t volunteer to lifeguard, but I probably would teach swimming lessons for free, if only a few hours of the week–why waste a skill I’ve spent years acquiring, not to mention one that’s fun to apply?
100% agreed. Money gives you a lot of leverage and influence in the world. Being a billionaire would be useful for making the changes you want to see happen.