Now, before anything else, I want to be clear I feel lucky to have a job during the pandemic and that I feel safe enough when I am working to continue. That being said, I think very few people would argue that working a fulfillment job at Target is something they are passionate about or enjoy. The work despite its name is anything but fulfilling. Sure, I am getting a decent hourly wage but I can’t say I love spending 30-40 hours of my week pushing carts around a store/warehouse. As I have worked there over the months, I have developed some tools to make myself feel more like a human and less like employee 75200000.
Wearing Makeup
I’ve had a complicated relationship with makeup over the years. To me, makeup has never been about giving me more confidence or even part of my daily routine. It has been more of an accessory or a reflection of my mood and surroundings. So because my mood before work is generally poor or at least not very excited, makeup is usually the last thing on my mind before work. However, there have been those days where I had the time and energy to do my makeup and it made me feel better at work. Once I realized that makeup didn’t always have to reflect my mood, but it could also work the other way around to lift my mood, I started making more of an effort to wear it. Maybe it also gives me a sense of individuality in a sea of sameness.
Unplugging
One of the best weeks at work was when I had a good book to read during the breaks. For one, it made the break feel so much longer and for two it felt a lot more energizing than scrolling through Instagram mindlessly for 15 minutes. I wouldn’t even say reading is the only way to unplug. Podcasts and music are particularly useful to me at the end of the day when I’m exhausted. Sometimes they even give me enough energy to make some art while I listen. Taking a break from the devices gives you a chance to actually engage with something instead of being passive all day at work and during breaks.
Goals
I find it really hard to work at a job endlessly without any concrete goals or aspirations. I know some people do not have the same opportunity as me but if I don’t like the job I am in, I am always looking for a new one, or I have an end date in mind for the current one. Right now, I just need to work full time during the summer, and I am trying to make enough extra money to buy an iPad. That is my goal and the end date. I also am interviewing at a local coffee shop in hopes I can be more invested in a small business instead of working for a huge corporate giant. Another goal, another end date. Part of working in a sucky job is knowing that it is temporary and you have options and independence. The system is built to make you feel stuck and desperate for anything but you have skills and talents that should be appreciated in your work.
You have worth. Invest in yourself.
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