Between a Professional and a Robot
Let’s begin this weekend’s post with an interesting quote I found on Twitter few days ago:
Those words hit me hard. It’s easy to be professional when you love your job, when you’re on top of corporate ladder, when you’ve got nine figures salary and everyone looks up to you. But when you’re forced to do your job, people underestimate your position and your daily tasks, plus you’re paid less than expected… Would you give it all? Would you show your best effort no matter what? Would you behave well to the people who was unfair to you?
It’s f*cking hard. Because we’re just human with our own ego. Our emotional instinct tend to take over our logic in do-or-die situation.
A worker, as a human, basically possesses all these ‘humanly’ traits such as subjective reasonings, emotional turbulences (i.e. moody), and also relationship dynamics. On the contrary, a worker is also the very role to be brainwashed as ‘professional’ — meaning you act as your job requires you to do based on your company’s rule. Most of times, to be a ‘professional worker’ you have to set aside your ‘humanly feelings’ and perform as required SOP’s. This might turn you to be less like a human and more like a…robot.
Let me tell you something: it’s okay.
It’s okay to be a robot. It’s okay to get your ass off to work even though you’re feeling blue. It’s okay to pretend your smile to the customer who yells at you. It’s okay to fake your laugh in front of your boss even though you hate him to the bone. It’s okay to force your brain to keep thinking how to achieve your target, regardless what a sh*tty job you’re immersed in.
People at work do not need to know what you actually feel. They need to know that you’re doing your job right — humanly or ‘robotly’. They need you to be sharp, reliable and fast-response worker. If it means you’re being more like a robot or a machine, be it. It’s just 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week (hopefully). Other than that, you still have much time left to be a human or whatever you want to be.
I’m not saying that it’s impossible to be ‘human’ at work. Obviously that’s the ideal situation. But workplace is not a Disneyland. The happiest place on Earth does not lie in your office between your stack of papers.
The good news is: you don’t always have to be happy. You can survive your job in whatever emotional state you’re in. Happy or sad, your job is done. Passionate or tired, your job is done. Praised or insulted, your job is done. If you can maintain such consistency of emotional stability, you’re truly a high-level professional (robot). And oh — don’t forget to switch off your ‘button’ at home! :)