They say, ‘do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.’

The problem is, not everyone loves activities that translate to successful jobs. And chasing the dream of finding work within whatever activity you enjoy the most can lead to huge financial losses.

You don’t have to choose to have your passion or your career, you simply have to recognize if merging them makes sense. MarketWatch has a breakdown of the pitfalls of trying to base your career on what makes you happy, and how to find fulfillment in both areas if you can’t combine them.

Figure Out How to Enjoy that Passion Outside of Work

If your passion is not lucrative enough to base a career on, don’t try and force them to coexist. Instead, search for ways to satisfy those urges in your downtime.

Find outlets to enjoy those hobbies, such as taking art or music classes on weekends if those are your passions. Being able to look forward to those times will make it less tempting to force your passions into your work.

Cut Back on Work

It could be that you decided to mix business and pleasure because you feel like you don’t have the time for your passions anymore. If that is the case, it might be worth considering finding a less time-consuming job.

Mental burnout is a valid concern, and if your job is leaving you too drained to enjoy life, you will probably start trying to cram those passions into your job.

Even Passion Deserves Pay

You might be so starved for enjoying your interests that when an organic opportunity to do so at work emerges, you get taken advantage of. For instance, maybe you are a people person and your boss noticed this and began asking you to host events for the company.

Even if you enjoy this task, don’t treat it like a perk that doesn’t need compensation. Too many people get exploited by offering up what they enjoy for free. Always get adequate compensation for your time on the job.

Take an Interest in Workers’ Rights

This might sound like adding more onto your plate when you are trying to lighten the load. But in truth, you likely don’t have the time or finances you want for your passions because a lot of bad practices have encroached on the workforce.

Mandatory overtime, low wages, and so many other work issues contribute to your passions being pushed to the backburner. Get involved in assisting with workers’ rights so you have the time and money you want to pursue your interests.

It can be great if your biggest interests and your career synch up, but unfortunately, that doesn’t happen for many people. Learning how to enjoy them both separately may be the best way forward for your happiness.

To learn more about how to make healthy time for your passions, read MarketWatch’s article here.

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