Simple Joys at the Workplace

I loved working in litigation. I say "loved" because it is not what I am currently doing. That said, however, my current job does bring a certain measure of satisfaction to it. I mean, I don't just mechanically churn out my work-product. A certain amount of research and preparation goes into each and everything I do, and this helps me feel a little bit better about waiting for the bar.

I came up with a list of things that ordinarily happen to me on any given working day that make it more pleasant for me. Even though I know the lot of you have different jobs from mine (and for the large part, from each others') I think coming up with a list of simple joys could actually help you through your day, even assuming you enjoy your jobs. These are the things that make the workday more joyful:

1. Researching a fairly difficult topic, and finding exactly what it was I was looking for. I often do the former, but not always the latter, so when the latter does turn up, it's a real treat.
2. Typing ideas down. I don't have to finish drafting a whole document; it's just somehow immensely satisfying when I write the things I'm thinking down, because it gives me this sense of security, particularly after I've backed up the file, that myh work product is "real" and not some ethereal thing that I've promised my boss without any kind of backup.
3. Quiet time at the library. One of the great things about my job is that leaving the office to go to the library is not a form of goofing off. I could actually do the same research that I do in the library up in my office, but at least down in the library I don't have the fucking air-conditioner turning my contact lenses (and even my hair) brittle and freezing my ass in the process.
4. Blogging during down time. Hey, as you can see, I am really getting hooked on this stuff. The last three posts here appear to be mine.
5. Realizing that for five minutes, I actually managed to not think about the bar. Ah, shit, there I go again. Find a happy place...find a happy place...

I guess this list will expand as time goes on. There are actually other things that make the workday pleasant, but they are not daily occurrences. Like I said, mundane things that occur during the job feel a lot more rewarding than fantasizing about stuff I get to do at the end of the workday or during my break. It's self-actualization, I think.

Jim