I remember growing up, the goal of most of my classmates was to avoid a career that involved sitting at a desk. Everyone, including myself, would talk about how we did not want to work a 9-5 that required us to sit at a desk all day. For a kid full of childish whimsy a desk job always sounded so…boring.
Fast forward many (many) years later, and I have worked at jobs that allowed me to avoid that fate. I have worked on my feet and I have worked jobs that required my holidays, weekends, and physical labor. My past jobs have required me to always be on my toes and to learn how to change course in a moment’s notice the entire shift.
My job was unpredictable and for many people, that sounds fun. And I think for a time, I wanted to also believe my work was fun for the same reasons.
That is until I really evaluated my personality and needs. The truth is, I like boring.
Boring is stable.
Boring is predictable. And when it is not predictable, it is easily adjustable.
Boring is calm.
I like boring jobs. Especially because boring jobs are also, necessary, impactful, and often times focus on long term goals and problem prevention rather than immediate gratification and fixing immediate issues.
This is what I prefer.
I love a nice office, with my personal desk and space that I can decorate. The little moments of getting up, doing my makeup and picking out cute outfits for work are always amusing. I enjoy drinking coffee at my desk while filling out excel documents, sending emails, making phone calls, and completing my tasks for the day. Funnily enough, I have found few other joys that match completing a lengthy to-do list before clocking out from work.
Lastly, knowing that my job still makes an impact and is still helping the community around me without shattering my own nervous system is icing on the cake.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to shake it up a bit with public speaking engagements, travel, conferences, etc. And my “boring” job is still very busy and at times very stressful. However, it is different from how it used to be. The stress is understood with a clear fix. Often times, good time management, lists, and schedules help with this. Plus, those moments are sporadic and spaced out perfectly in my “boring” line of work. The good days far outweigh the bad days and the bad days often come in specific seasons.
So yes, give me desk work any day! I could type up documents, create filing systems, and sit in meetings for days.
I love my “boring” office career and I hope to have many “boring” jobs in my lifetime.
With Love,
The Road Writer
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