I have for many years been working in jobs that are unappreciated in general. Serving customers at McDonalds, working as a Personal Trainer, (that actually doesn’t pay very well) being a clerk at a gas station, terminal worker in warehouses with no windows and always being treated like a number instead of a person.
Now as I’m transitioning into opening a company and doing more office-releated tasks I’ve been wondering: did I really waste those years or have they made me a stronger person to tackle other challenges I face nowadays?
In today’s society, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that making more money is always better. But is that really always the case? Here are four reasons why working a low-paying job can actually be good for you and my positive takaways from those hard working years:
1. It forces you to be creative with your finances
If you’re used to living paycheck to paycheck, you learn quickly how to make your money stretch. When you’re working a low-paying job, you have to be creative with your finances and find ways to save money where you can. This can be a good thing because it teaches you how to be responsible with your money and how to live within your means. It also helps you appreciate those little things in life, like a good dinner or a new t-shirt.
2. It allows you to focus on your passions outside of work
Working a low-paying job can actually give you more time to pursue your passions outside of work. If you’re not spending all of your time at a job that you hate, you can devote more energy to things that you’re passionate about. This can make for a much more well-rounded and fulfilled life. Living an everyday life where you have different palettes of activities instead of grinding ten to twelve hour work days at a well paid but demanding job should not be underestimated.
3. It gives you perspective on what’s truly important in life
When you’re not making a lot of money, you learn quickly what’s truly important in life. Money isn’t everything, and working a low-paying job can help remind you of that. From this perspective, it can be easier to find true happiness and contentment in life.
4. It helps build character and resilience
Working a low-paying job can help build character and resilience because it’s not always easy. You have to work hard and persevere even when things are tough. This can help make you a stronger person both mentally and emotionally. You might also be reminded to treat people in service business with respect next time you meet them since you know what they are going through during a busy day.
Conclusion
In today’s society, there’s a lot of pressure to make as much money as possible. But working a low-paying job doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, there are some definite advantages to it! From forcing you to be creative with your finances to giving you perspective on what’s truly important in life, working a low-paying job can actually be good for you in many ways.
So don’t let society dictate what’s best for you — if working a low-paying job is what makes YOU happy, then go for it!
Thanks for reading!
Jonatan Wigerup