(Photo: Samael Kreutz)
I just got back from a two-week vacation in the heart of the Belizean jungle. This “vacation”, if you can call it that, was long overdue. The vacation was long overdue not because I needed to sit back and relax (though I did do some of that), but because traveling grants the traveler one thing that’s in short supply; perspective.
A person who’s very dear to me sent me an article by Mike Acton, the director of core tech and tools at Insomniac Games. Mike talks extensively about what he believes is the recipe for not only a successful game development team, but more importantly, a happy one. If you’ve ever held a job before, chances are you’ve worked for, or with people who made your life miserable and stifled your creativity. Everyone has a right to work in an environment that makes them happy, allows for personal growth, and has managers who aren’t completely incompetent.
A vacation, be it a spending a few days with friends or family at a camp site, or a journey to another continent, will allow you time to step outside of your life for a while and decide what’s really important to you, and what aspects of your life simply aren’t working. I say from experience that the first place to look is probably your job. If you’re like me, you see your boss and co-workers more than you see your friends and family.
I urge you to read Mike’s excellent article It doesn’t have to suck. If you’re miserable and feel like you’re working in a toxic work environment, do yourself a favor and take his advice: get out. Your job really doesn’t have to suck.
