It’s quite obviously Thursday, so you know what that means–time to pause for a moment to give thanks for the little and big things.
Simply having a job is reason enough to drop to your knees and scream thanks to the heavens, but it’s those extra, often unnoticed, job “perks†that really deserve your attention. Today, we acknowledge these unrecognized things with gratitude.
- Free water and coffee. Don’t scoff as if free water and coffee is to be expected at your place of employment. It isn’t, you ingrate. They pay you to do a job and they don’t have to give you anything else. Not a single thing. The fact that you get free water is enough, as water is about $1.50 a bottle, so if you’re buying a bottle a day you’re spending…I don’t know, a lot. The fact that you don’t have to spend is something to be grateful for. Don’t even get me started on coffee. Look at the price marquee at Starbucks, then walk into your office kitchen and kiss the coffee maker. Do it.
- Cool co-workers. Listen, sometimes this alone is your saving grace. Many people spend more active time during the week at work than they do at home. That’s 8, 10, sometimes 12 hours a day spent around people you have to tolerate that you don’t share a bloodline with. To spend those hours with other cool kids is a gift to you from the employment gods. Just imagine if these people were plain awful. Your heart just sank, right? Go high-five your coolest co-worker.
- Direct deposit. Again, you roll your eyes as if you HAVE to have this. And again, you do not. What’s gotten into you? Entitled much? The fact that you can wake up on a predetermined morning and know that your money is there, in your account, waiting for you, starts your day off with a smile, yes? What if you didn’t always know exactly when you’d get your check? Or every time you got your check you had to find a bank to make a deposit? You shudder at the thought, yes? Be grateful, OK?
- No time clocks. Did you know that people still punch in and punch out? That’s like…an actual thing that still happens in crevices of the world. If it isn’t happening to you and your 9:00 a.m. start time is usually, actually more like 9:18 every morning and no one seems to notice, then you’re working at the right place. You know that hour and a half lunch you took today? It wouldn’t be possible with that time clock on the wall. Now, take off your watch and do a cartwheel.
- Â 401(k). Because retirement matters. That’s all, it just does.
Give thanks, it’s Thursday.