Day job blues
First, let’s set this up. I’m sure you’ve had detractors at your workplace, those amateurs always ready to throw mud your way just to make themselves look great in front of the boss. If you are a manager like me, you will know that every little misstep is immediately relayed to your boss; and completely blown out of proportion. When Red Seal Vas makes the odd mistake in the field, those below me celebrate. Which is sad and very common.
I still remember a senior staff meeting where the company management structure got flattened. It was effectively a demotion but in title only, not financially. I walked in as one of two supervisors, and I walked out as one of seven working managers. Ah, no big deal. Life goes on.
What was really frightening about the meeting was one enthusiastic amateur who openly accused me of doing a routine task backwards. Yeah, right. I was trained by the biggest landscape maintenance sweatshop there is. I’m sure they would have told me.
The frequent attacks and negativity can get you down. And for a while they did, until I found a cure in my side hustles.
Reviews
When I started collecting work reviews from my clients, it finally occurred me that everything is fine. I had real, paying clients, who loved my work. Many of them are repeat clients in need of help. And I’m happy to help them. Red Seal Vas to the rescue. And the extra income is beautiful, too, because life in British Columbia is brutally expensive.
So, I’ve stopped thinking about amateurs at my day job busily posing as professionals. Every time I encounter stupidities, I just think of my happy side-hustle clients. Those people who need my help every week. Some are too busy; some are very old or very sick; and some are too rich. I’m happy to make your garden look good while you do yoga by the pool. That’s the set-up.
Not one of my private clients ever commented on the way I do things. I’m the pro and they pay me well for my services. And that’s beautiful. When I encounter nay-sayers at my day job, I smile and move on. I have real-life clients who love my work. The nay-sayers can suck up to the boss as much as they want. Like David Goggins says, “can’t hurt me.”
So, yes, your side hustle can improve your mental health. If you have terrible co-workers, managers or bosses, think of the real-life paying clients who love your work. It does wonders for my mental health. It could help you too.
