Professional success is not always tied to a career woman’s current workplace.
For me professional success has always been defined as: writing and publishing novels that grant enough royalties to pursue my craft full-time. Unfortunately in order to accomplish that goal, I need money to pay the bills and acquire food.
Before I landed my first job, I figured I could pursue my goal while either writing grant proposals or articles full-time. I never considered that my job should do more than provide me with a continual supply of money. Before accepting that job, you may want to consider how that job will affect your overarching goals.
Physical exhaustion
Physical exhaustion comes in many forms. For writers, computer programmers, and artists, our livelihood and our craft are both dependent on our ability to use our hands. Before my job responsibilities changed slightly, my job entailed typing ten hours a day. A year after I started typing non-stop, the beginning of carpal tunnel syndrome set in. Physical pain and the potential for serious damage to my appendages seriously cramps my ability to perform my job at work and pursue my personal goal. Pursue a job that does not involve full-time typing.
Mental exhaustion
I wrote three, sometimes four, articles a day for the first eight months. When I finally dragged myself into the house, the last thing I wanted to do was write. Writing, art, computer programing—each type of craft has its own burn out stage. While you will excel if you use your skills in that craft, you might benefit from pursuing a job that doesn’t exhaust your ability to continue personal projects. Locate a job that utilizes part of your educational skills or does not utilize them at all. Remember the job is simply a means to survive while you pursue your dreams.
The Time Paradox
When you locate a job, you should try to find a company that gives their employees the freedom to determine when and where they work. Companies that allow that kind of freedom lead to an increase in personal and professional satisfaction and productivity. Here are some types of work policies to look out for:
- Four ten hour days. Full time, free Fridays to dig into your personal projects, and a slight decrease in commute time‌who can ask for more?
- Work from home. Full time, no commute time, and the ability to arrange your schedule in a manner that you will be more productive.
- Work where you want on the business premises. Grab your laptop to work in the breakroom, out by the lake, or on the deck—wherever you can accomplish what you need to.
Jobs to Expand, Not Hone
This is not a career. This is a job. Jobs should not just pay the bills. They should be a method for you to gain a broad range of skills that will help you create, maintain, and share that masterpiece. Before accepting or choosing to stay at a job, ask yourself this question, how is this helping me achieve my goal? To speed up your personal career trajectory the answer should encompass more than “it pays the bills�. Here are a few skills all freelance writers can benefit from learning at a professional workplace.
- Web Development. Right now 1 in 3 workers do not have the tech skills to do their jobs. As an artist, writer, or potential business owner, the ability to design and maintain your own website is vital. Today 84% of adults in the United States go online every day. This means you’re potential customers are online, you should be there too.
- Marketing. Finishing a project, product, or service is only the first step. The next arduous task you must complete is to determine how to get that service in front of your target audience. By pursuing a job in marketing, you can learn and practice all of the tactics to successfully get your project off the ground.
Pursuing a personal goal as a business owner, an artist, a web developer, or writer is a full-time job in its own right. Choosing a job that will only pay the bills while not wrong, is inefficient. By strategically choosing the company and job you work at, you can give yourself the tools to succeed.
