Nearly every person working today has certain expectations about their job. The most common is wanting to be compensated fairly for their contributions, a reasonable ask that tends to support higher levels of job satisfaction.

However, certain expectations can actually be damaging, largely because they are not particularly realistic. One, in particular, can lead to a variety of trappings, like decreasing job satisfaction and job hopping unnecessarily, both of which can be harmful to your long-term well-being. If you are wondering what myth may be making you unhappy at work, here’s the one idea you may need to abandon.

Work Should Always Be Fun

Most people are familiar with the adage, “If you do what you love, you will never have to work a day in your life.” While the notion is certainly a pleasant one, it morphed into the idea that work should somehow always be fun, a pervasive myth that can be damaging to your mindset.

If you begin operating under the idea that your job should be a never-ending source of entertainment, joy, or amusement, you probably will not have much luck finding a job that ever measures up. Why? Because there isn’t a single job in the world that is fun at all times.

Sure, many roles come with some fun on occasion, such as when you get to perform your favorite duties or interact with coworkers you like and respect. However, every position also comes with challenges and stress, and even satisfying work can be hard at times. Even jobs that are tolerable at all times or qualify as neutral emotionally fall short on the “fun” scale, not meeting that unrealistic expectation.

What You Need to Find Instead

If you expect your job to be a constant source of fun, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Focusing on a single feeling is incredibly limiting, and you most likely won’t ever find something that fits the bill.

However, just because a job isn’t always fun doesn’t mean it isn’t amazing. A great role could be fulfilling, engaging, satisfying, rewarding, energizing, and challenging. On occasion, it will probably also be frustrating, boring, stressful, or possibly even annoying too.

By not limiting your idea of what a great job is to a single emotion, you are broadening your horizons. You also gain the ability to focus on a job that isn’t based solely on positive experiences; allowing you to focus on one where the positives make any negatives worthwhile, effectively overshadowing the impact of the parts you don’t enjoy.

Additionally, your job should never be your sole source of fun in the first place. If a good job gives you time to pursue passions in your personal life, then you can enjoy yourself there instead, making a tough day seem more joyful. Plus, this empowers you by reducing the amount of pressure you may be feeling to gain emotional satisfaction from your career that just isn’t practical.

Ultimately, no job on the planet is going to be fun every moment day in and day out. Letting go of that myth increases the odds that you’ll find a reasonable balance between the positives and negatives, making it more likely you’ll be satisfied in your role.

If you would like to learn more about job satisfaction or are seeking out new opportunities, the skilled team at TempStaff can help. Contact us to discuss your career goals with one of our knowledgeable recruiters today and see how our employment services and career management expertise can benefit you. Browse new Jackson, MS jobs here!