Don’t underestimate making the right choice
Tejal Sinha
Money is undoubtedly a vital tool in the world we currently live in, but pursuing it frequently means sacrificing the ability to do the things you truly enjoy and look forward to each day. Well, to sum up, you’ll have to sacrifice your comfort in order to earn the money. At least that’s what the traditional norms of a successful career define.
It is important to note that if you decide to follow your passion, your workdays will appear less repetitive, and you won’t feel down when the alarm goes off. Though it may sound like a tired cliche, the saying “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” has some merit. You can see how the sentence became so well-known in terms of better motivation and performing the work more easily and enthusiastically. True or not, whether you enjoy your job or not, a day at work is still a day at work.
But now the dynamics of an ideal job have changed, and trust us when we say this! According to recent research, Indian job seekers prefer flexibility when looking for a job. They go for working from home and choosing their own hours, claiming that flexibility is important for them as it helps with work-life balance and productivity.
The survey indicated that 70% of working professionals look for choices like working from home or remotely, based on data from more than 1,200 Indian job seekers. Another 67% look for wages and advantages like family leave and health insurance.
Unfortunately, businesses aren’t providing flexibility, despite the fact that job seekers are searching for it more and more.
Only 6.5% of job listings in June specified “work from home” or “remote work”.
In 2023, there will be slightly more opportunities for remote employment than there were two years ago. They are still not as common, though. In spite of this, the poll found that more than 10% of job searches involved remote or hybrid employment.
According to the survey, a sizable number of people favor hybrid working, which gives them the opportunity to work from home occasionally and from an office occasionally. Over entirely remote working, about 51% of employers are willing to consider this alternative.
In order to understand this, The Pioneer connected with a mental health professional and employees from different sectors to explain their thoughts on the same.
Aayushi Rao, a clinical psychologist, believes that both factors should be taken into account before joining a company. “Since we spend the majority of our time at work, it is essential to have a healthy and enjoyable work environment. A good salary is also important
because having enough money to live comfortably and take care of our basic needs is essential. However, working at what they love and making enough money to live a normal life are mutually exclusive for some people. Others struggle because they lack passion or have outgrown a once-cherished dream. Because of these factors, choosing a high-paying profession is a wise decision. It is acknowledged that it is unlikely that you will desire to pursue your passion if you don’t have a reliable source of income. Of course, pursuing one’s aspirations has the emotional benefits that a job that pays the bills is unlikely to provide, but if you can’t pay your rent or your student loans, it may be time to put your passion on hold and concentrate on finding answers,” she explains.
Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!
It’s no surprise that Indians, to be specific, have always believed that ‘more hustle means more success’. Well, initially yes, it did, but now even if one gets success, anxiety and stress come along.
Supriya Sundar, a counseling psychologist, points out, “Hustle culture is founded on the idea that the only way to succeed in life is to put in so much effort that you have to sacrifice your sleep and sanity. Hustle culture is just a sort of severe workaholism that is frequently covered up with cheesy statements like “The grind never stops,” “I don’t make excuses,” or “Hustle so hard, your bank account looks like a phone number.” Because we share chances and resources with 1.3 billion other individuals in a country like India, the fear of being disposable has made the hustle culture particularly toxic.”
COVID and work practices
Working patterns have significantly changed over the past two years since the COVID epidemic kept everyone confined inside their houses. There have been tales of individuals quitting their jobs in the recent past in order to pursue remote employment.
“A comfortable working environment is more important than a good salary because I need my mind to be headache-free. A pleasant working atmosphere is crucial. Because when you are at ease at work, you will be able to think clearly, increasing both your own and the company’s production. Money will follow if you are productive for the business. In addition, you’ll be at peace, which won’t interfere with your personal life,” shares Ajay Srivastav, an IT professional who shifted jobs in order to get a WFH option.
Extended Commute
The duration of commutes is another issue that affects workers. Many employees these days have been posting descriptions of their professional lives on social media, including the difficulties they encounter at work. The posts that receive the greatest attention are typically those about people quitting their jobs, since they are relatable to many individuals. Recently, a New Delhi-based worker revealed that his lengthy commute caused him to abandon his job on the first day, which sparked a Reddit discussion. According to him, quitting his job was due to “too much travel” between his house and his place of employment. In addition, he said that staying in his current home — which only allowed him three hours of free time — was not an option for him.
According to a study, one of the major reasons for people to voluntarily leave their jobs has been the distance they have to travel from their home to their workplace.
In fact, Kamlesh Sahay, another IT employee residing in Vayupuri and sharing his experience from quitting his job to starting his own business, says, “On a regular basis, traveling to Hi-Tech City for me was getting way too hectic. Plus, traffic was another reason. Even when I tried to take the metro, due to the wee hours, the metros were also very full. It wasn’t just too time-consuming; the travel alone would make me so tired that I didn’t feel work-like. And thus, I choose to start my own business, which is not just running well now, but I have enough peace in my head to work effectively and efficiently to make my business grow.”
