👾HeyDayle

How I Survived Some Of the Jobs I Hated The Most // Extreme Acts of MicroKindness

April 28, 2018dayleeo

I’m sorry but how is it Saturday? Anyone else feel time is moving too fast?

Yikes, I feel like the “work week” should have been at least 2 or 3 days longer. Not that the exact days I work really matter- but damn it sure doesn’t feel like the weekend.

I remember when I used to WAAAIITTT for Fridays, that holy grail day where the over all office vibe was a bit more chill because folks were already checked out and on weekend time. That day where you get your paycheck and blow most of it going out that night, because you’ve got to find some meaningful reason that you’ve put up with your job for another week.

Giving meaning to my hours is something I’ve always felt like I needed to do in order to be happy. Since I spent the beginning of my working years, doing jobs I absolutely hated, for folks who’s business practices I didn’t necessarily agree with, I had to find my own micro meanings between the lines.

For example, when I worked in the coffee shop portion of Borders book store, (which is a job I applied to for the 3rd time because I had a dream that Abraham Lincoln riding a T-Rex told me so btw) I enjoyed serving folks. Especially giving people the time of day who were clearly there because they had no where else to be.

You know the type, maybe socially awkward at times, they may not have very many friends, which makes them seem a bit intense or come on strong, but also often SUPER knowledgeable about a certain subject, which is why they’d spend their time reading in the cafe area of bookstores.

I remember co-workers would go in the back and make jokes about them. (We had 3 or 4 of these kinds of regulars). I absolutely hated that. To me, it was obvious that these few hours a day in a book store were the only things keeping them from total social isolation. I think too often we forget that we're pack animals!

Good pack-ing doggo!

Of course there were TONS of things I hated that job, especially when it came to sales goals. Having to aggressively push extra large sugary coffee diabetes bombs to anyone who came for even the most simplest of herbal teas was among my least favorite things. But I was able to show interest and kindness to a few folks who I knew felt like total societal outcasts.

For a few hours a day, they had a little haven in our book store- and the fact that I could ask them about what they were reading while I was cleaning up, or help recommend a drink or snack they’d like, was important to me.

I guess you could call them MicroKindnesses 💕

We had one regular who even kinda became part of the staff and eventually the rest of the staff warmed up to him and ended up inviting him out to eat with us after our late shift.

What is this post about Dayle? Hmm that’s a good question- these certainly aren't the sleepy mystical morning words I thought I’d write today.

But I guess it’s about this:

I know it may be hard to see freelancers and digital nomads being all care free and loving life on social media when you’re stuck in a 9 to 5 for whatever reason. I’d never be presumptuous enough to just say “well just quit”. Life and obligations don’t work that way, and I get it.

But, if you’re miserable in your day job, try to figure out what Micro Kindnesses you’re meant to be doing while you’re there.

Maybe it’s heading up a paper recycling initiave to lessen your office’s ecological impact. Maybe it’s being a little more inclusive at lunch time with that one person who’s always scarfing down their meal at their desk.

Find something that can give real meaning to your time.

It will help you get through your time there- to day so that maybe, you’re not banking on the escape of those few weekend days per week.

I hope these little thoughts and reminiscent stories find you well friends.
Have a lovely Saturday