Cant stand my job.

thewalkindude

I am 19 and i spend 8 hours a day soldering capacitors to motherboard. The work is repetitive and i am forced to work alone and deal with a boss who does not seem to understand how production works. I often listen to lectures or audiobooks while working to help take my mind off of work. The worst part about working there is that the work itself requires very little attention once you get the hang of it. I am essentially stuck with my thoughts in a place where i am uncomfortable for about 9 hours a day.

Ajahn Brahm claims that "A prison is anywhere you do not want to be." If this is indeed true how can i be free? I am waiting for a date on a surgery that will force me to leave work for about 3 weeks to recover and i do not plan to go back but instead attend college shortly after i have recovered. While this can either been a week away or months down the road i find it increasingly difficult to go to work every day.

vinlyn

I think you answered your own question.

DaltheJigsaw

I am sorry.
I can relate...
I have had insane jobs like the one you described...
Retail... particularly, folding clothes, cleaning bathroom, stocking, back room was really bad as well. Hang in there!!! At least you have a job...
Maybe practice Mindfulness and meditation...

Mountains

I think everybody has been there to some degree or other. One of the most basic parts of Buddhist philosophy is that everything is temporary. Just look at this as a learning experience. Sometimes its just as valuable - if not more so - to know what you *don't* want to do in life as it is to know what you do want.

Try to remember this feeling when you go back to school and are hating life because you have to study all the time (ask me how I know about this right now!)

DaltheJigsaw

I think everybody has been there to some degree or other. One of the most basic parts of Buddhist philosophy is that everything is temporary. Just look at this as a learning experience. Sometimes its just as valuable - if not more so - to know what you *don't* want to do in life as it is to know what you do want.

Try to remember this feeling when you go back to school and are hating life because you have to study all the time (ask me how I know about this right now!)

Yea, it's a circle indeed.
Repeated cycle until we choose to stop it.

zombiegirl

funny, i love being alone with my thoughts.

do you like music? i've had a few jobs in the past where i worked alone and i used to make special playlists on my ipod. i really enjoy jamming out.

compassionate_warrior

Zombiegirl is right. Put on your favorite tunes and party!

DaltheJigsaw

Zombiegirl is right. Put on your favorite tunes and party!

Or just be mindful!
At my job I have the ability to listen to music, but I rather choose natural music they call, "life".

NOTaGangsta

Listening to music will achieve the opposite effect to mindfulness.

You can turn this very boring situation into an advantage by practicing recitation of Amitabha Buddha's name. This may not get you perfect mindfulness and kill the bordem straight away, but at least your being mindful of a very positive practice.

Amitabha Buddha:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/2709212293_7f6f150174.jpg

vinlyn

Listening to music will achieve the opposite effect to mindfulness.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/2709212293_7f6f150174.jpg

I agree. When I was young I always told my parents I could study better in front of the t.v. or in front of the stereo speakers. I knew it wasn't true, and so did they. I just didn't really want to focus on what was most important.

DaltheJigsaw

Listening to music will achieve the opposite effect to mindfulness.

You can turn this very boring situation into an advantage by practicing recitation of Amitabha Buddha's name. This may not get you perfect mindfulness and kill the bordem straight away, but at least your being mindful of a very positive practice.

Amitabha Buddha:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/2709212293_7f6f150174.jpg

Tell me more!

thewalkindude

Right now we are allowed to listen to music while working. I often listen to audio books or lectures by Ajahn Brahm. This often keeps me going and takes my mind off of how dull the work is.

Looking at my job though it really isnt all that bad...but I still hate being there because there are so many things i would rather do. :S

CosmicGypsy

I used to be a tig welder, which isn't too dissimilar to soldering. Take an mp3 player to work, that's all I can say.

You can -- and this isn't necessarily some sort of Buddhist trick, most workers would do this -- work with your head in the clouds. Completely train your brain to be some place else while going through the motions and reaching set-targets.

Once you get into the groove it's really quite easy. Binaural beats could be good if trying that

compassionate_warrior

Zombiegirl is right. Put on your favorite tunes and party!

Or just be mindful!
At my job I have the ability to listen to music, but I rather choose natural music they call, "life".

Yes, I agree. I do my partying when I'm stuck in traffic. Instead of getting uptight, I boogie. But walkindude sounded like he had the kind of job were he needed some distraction during his 8 hrs. at work. Very repetitious job. I don't know what I'd do if I were in his position.

DaltheJigsaw

I used to be a tig welder, which isn't too dissimilar to soldering. Take an mp3 player to work, that's all I can say.

You can -- and this isn't necessarily some sort of Buddhist trick, most workers would do this -- work with your head in the clouds. Completely train your brain to be some place else while going through the motions and reaching set-targets.

Once you get into the groove it's really quite easy. Binaural beats could be good if trying that

Any suggestion for how to put your mind elsewhere when dealing with something that is not interesting?

CosmicGypsy

I'm not too sure, it happened naturally for me and I think it does for most people. So perhaps 'train' wasn't the best wording.

I would purposely focus on the music or E-Books I was listening to. Genuine focus and attention, not like how often people usually have music on as a background noise.

I'm not sure how applicable or workable that would be in general for doing something that isn't interesting. With welding I had an extremely routine and simple task, which allowed me to work and get the job done without focus(on the job).

My post was more specifically meant for the OP though, as soldering is a similar, quite routine task. If you're working in a job or career that requires attention then it would be much more difficult, and probably not very wise. I once worked telesales for example, and didn't have much of an opportunity to zone out

Sorry if I'm not as helpful as you were hoping.

DaltheJigsaw

I'm not too sure, it happened naturally for me and I think it does for most people. So perhaps 'train' wasn't the best wording.

I would purposely focus on the music or E-Books I was listening to. Genuine focus and attention, not like how often people usually have music on as a background noise.

I'm not sure how applicable or workable that would be in general for doing something that isn't interesting. With welding I had an extremely routine and simple task, which allowed me to work and get the job done without focus(on the job).

My post was more specifically meant for the OP though, as soldering is a similar, quite routine task. If you're working in a job or career that requires attention then it would be much more difficult, and probably not very wise. I once worked telesales for example, and didn't have much of an opportunity to zone out

Sorry if I'm not as helpful as you were hoping.

No you are!
And my job is the same everyday.
Half the time I am in the car and half the time I am in a grocery store and I am basically doing merchandising and marketing. Most of the time it's the same thing.

thewalkindude

Work has gotten better. Ive got a new audio book and am simply trying not to think about the fact that i dont want to be there. I also didnt watch the clock so with my head in the clouds and no sense of time the day went by fairly quickly lol.

Thanks for all the help guys!

DaltheJigsaw

Work has gotten better. Ive got a new audio book and am simply trying not to think about the fact that i dont want to be there. I also didnt watch the clock so with my head in the clouds and no sense of time the day went by fairly quickly lol.

Thanks for all the help guys!

That is awesome!
Glad to hear good news:)

MindGate

http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/10579/what-do-people-want-out-of-life-personal-issue#Item_4