I joined corporate right after my undergrad, much like most people in my generation. In addition to all the glamour that Netflix bestowed on corporate jobs, I went through some life-changing experiences which changed the way I view and lead life today. These experiences taught me some valuable lessons:
Early mornings are everything.
Ever since I started a corporate job, keeping up with time has been a challenge. But early mornings are game-changers. Nothing beats the satisfaction of waking up at 5am, and doing your thing - when you finish what needs to be done, for yourself, at the beginning of the day, life seems more bearable.
Of course I am not insinuating that night owls are not game-changers. But we're built a certain way - biologically. And while we're known to go against nature and everything it is built for, it will catch up to you eventually. Aligning with your circadian rhythm will transform the way you work - here I am, giving it in writing. Of course this requires discipline and perhaps even going against a habit you've built over a decade - but when has anything good come easily?
2. The problem is never the problem. Your reaction to it is.
Adulting = unending problems. Everywhere, in each domain of life - whether it is family, relationships, ambitions, friendships or health. We are constantly overwhelmed by actions and reactions everywhere.
Objectively speaking though, a problem is only a problem when we fail to react to it appropriately.
I used to think that if people leave, I’d be lonely. False - I managed perfectly.
I used to think an important deadline could not be extended - False, it could.
The more importance you give to something, the easier you make it to affect you. Believe in the Murphy's law - but also, believe in the power of what your mind can do to counter it.
3. Keep your friend circle small. And find the right people (for you).
Retrospectively, I could’ve saved so much mental energy had I known to compartmentalize my time, and spent it with the right people. Knowing and spending time with too many people leads to social suffocation. I learnt it too late, but I did - keep your friend circle small.
If you like talking to people (like I do), network. But be cautious of who you befriend.
There is a difference between networking and being with someone each time you sit at a table - you are who you spend time with. Find people who align with your values. “Popularity” is cool only during teenage - life is not a Mean Girls episode. When you have a full time job, bills to pay and dreams to pursue, the key is to keep your communications limited.
4. You have to figure it out yourself.
This is probably one of the newest things I learnt in life - training is nothing but historical story-telling. It tells you what swimming is and how it has been historically done - but when it comes to taming the waters, you have to figure it out yourself. And this is not a bad thing at all! We learn when we make mistakes - but also, when we continuously try to figure things out ourselves. The more you try, the better you get at it. Asking for help is great, but a few hit and trials before that often gets things done just as well.
5. Be honest to your work.
I wouldn’t say my job is my passion. But it is something I do with all my honesty. I think this applies to everything in life - anything you commit to, requires 100% dedication. There is no other way around it - no shortcut to success. Work requires all the toil, all the time - of course, with boundaries. I am known to be very uptight sometimes - but that helps me get things done. There is place for fun in life - always will be. But we must solidify one for serious, honest-to-god work too.
6. Don’t let your job be your identity.
It’s one thing to be passionate about, or honest to your job. It’s another, to make it your whole identity. Oftentimes when I ask people what they do outside of work, they run out of answers. Most people at my office spend close to 14 hours in it - and it’s not always work - they play, eat, work out - right there.
I cannot stress on the importance of leaving your office building. It is important to explore the world and more importantly, explore who you are outside of the people you see and work with everyday. I wish I could tell you how much of a difference joining classes - whether it is for yoga or studying; writing, running an NGO, reading and learning to play a ukulele has made to my life. I have known myself better - and more importantly, I have become more comfortable in my own mind & body. Not having an external sense of definition is what freedom is - a kind that you'll know only when you try to develop it.
7. Learn to live alone
I’ve noticed something very bizarre about my generation - only about 1% of people have learnt to spend time alone. I see people shifting cities constantly, simply because they have more friends there; seen them spend endless hours in the office, only because they crave human presence.
Please take it from someone who has seen loneliness very closely - I understand how hard it is. But I also know another thing about it - when embraced, aloneness is perhaps the greatest gift you can give yourself. People are meant to come and go - but this should not underline your life. One will be surprised by how much one can accomplish once they’ve learnt to live alone.
Most of what I learnt has been difficult. Till date perhaps, I make some of the same mistakes. But I'm beginning to realize that there is a strange tinge of comfort - of peace - that comes when we learn to accept life for what it is, and for what it has to offer. I take my corporate journey as just this - and it helps. Each day.
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