Is work not work when you enjoy it?

Hi there. My husband has been a chef for over 40 years, and loves every minute of it. He is as passionate about food today as he was when he started his career. If he is not in the kitchen, he is just not himself. We work long hours, in a hot and sticky environment, but he would not trade it for anything. He is due to retire in 2011 - his plans - to run a cookery school and host Gourmet weekends! I hope you are able to get as much enjoyment out of your job as he does! Good luck to you all.

It's great to make a living from something you enjoy, but if you have to do it to pay the bills and put the food on the table, then really it's still work. I love my writing, and I'm earning a little from it, but there's no pressure, as my husband and I both have other incomes. If I was always having to meet deadlines and think up new plots, I would still enjoy the writing, but there would be that element of 'must do' about it.

I have to agree with you. If you do enjoy your work, your job, then I don't think that we really consider it our work, or our job. When I do have a job that I enjoy doing, for me, it's more something that I'm doing for pleasure, while getting payed, or something to that effect.

Absolutely. My husband and I own a motorcycle shop which he opened after building and repairing bikes in our garage for a couple of years. Although this is now his business...and his job...it doesn't feel like it to him because he loves what he does and enjoys chatting with new and long time customers. I run the office and it doesn't feel like a job to me either.

Of course. As said above, when you're doing something you like to do, it's not work, it's sort of recreation. I like to do simple chores around the house and in my room like cleaning up which is quite a pain in the head for most people.