It's Your Choice

I remember the first time I took a job just for the money.  I was a sophomore in college and thought I'd hit the jackpot - one of the highest work study jobs at the time - $11/hour!  What great role did I play on the team?  What kind of problem was I solving for this type of money?  Well...I was the official "copy girl!"  Yes, my entire job consisted of copying reports, collating them and putting them into a bin for distribution.  This was clearly in the days before emailing documents became popular.  :-)

For the 1st month, my job was good.  I'd stand or sit at the copier for 10+ hours/week, make my reports, chat to my coworkers and collect my paycheck.  After 40 hours, at least 10 copier breakdowns and more papercuts than I care to remember, I couldn't take it anymore.  I was a college student with strategic thinking skills, computer know how and a host of other talents...but no one cared.  I remember thinking I'd made a breakthrough when I showed a coworker how to fix his computer.  I surely thought someone would recognize my other talents and ask me to be more than the girl who stood by the copier all week...but no...that never happened.  People went "Wow! I didn't know you could fix computers! Did you finish copying those reports yet?"  :-|

That was the day I decided my happiness was worth more than $11/hour.  Luckily, leaving wasn't difficult.  Being a college student, I had the excuse of "my class schedule changed, so I can't work here anymore."  It was a common line, and there was always another student eager for the $11/hour paycheck.

I realize that things aren't so easy as an adult.  There is no changing class schedule excuse that can be used to end most full-time jobs.  So what do you do when you find yourself in a job situation where the only motivation is the paycheck?  How do you keep going when your management team doesn't appreciate you?  What gets you up in the morning when your daily tasks become boring?  What happens when you feel stuck.  After all, there's no finite time limit.

In those moments, you need to remember that you always have a choice.  If you've got a history with the team, coworkers you love, and even the slightest hint of company loyalty, it will be difficult to leave.  However, is a paycheck worth your sanity and self-worth?  Pray over your situation and ask God to lead you in the right direction.  Remember...it's your choice.