Sometimes we can be happier by satisfying certain needs outside of work. Many people look to jobs to give them more than just a salary - they expect other, deeper emotional needs to be met at the same time. But that has its dangers, and can ultimately hurt your career. Here’s why.

With any full-time job consuming the biggest single chunk of our day, it’s only natural to want to satisfy a wide range of personal needs with our work. Our jobs, after all, involve socializing, creativity, praise, identity, and financial compensation – a one stop shop for many of our personal needs, right?

Indeed, work touches many parts of who we are. But there lies the danger of trying to have too many of our needs satisfied by our work. Jobs, as you probably know are fickle. There’s a very good chance your career will fail you at some point. Sounds a little pessimistic, but the statistics bear that out.

Smart career achievers know that it’s best to keep an eye outside their work and build a strong balance in all aspects of their life. Here’s why.

“Friends” at work are usually just good colleagues
No matter how much you love the people you work with, they’re ultimately colleagues more than true friends. Sure, you might have other interests, and you might be personally very compatible. But once the common bond of work is removed for whatever reason, such job-based friendships often quickly weaken or disintegrate altogether. So do yourself a big favor and keep plenty of friends outside your job.

The emotional rewards of work can be fleeting
Even if you have a great job that gives you tremendous personal rewards, those payoffs aren’t always very stable. New bosses come along. Responsibilities are “realigned,” projects go sour, staffs get cut. Don’t put your whole hope for happiness in your job. It can quickly come crashing down.

Balance makes you more effective
Keeping a balance of activities leaves you with a better range of perspectives that you can bring to your work. And it probably makes you less needy about the outcome. For instance, if you’re expecting to get all your happiness from your career, it will be hard not take it personally and brood when you get passed over for that big project. But if you’ve got other exciting, deeply fulfilling things going on in your life, such disappointments tend to be considerably easier to accept.

Finding interests outside of work
Finally, if you’re the sort of person who looks to your job to satisfy your deep, inner longings for identity, acceptance, acknowledgement, and other powerful emotional needs, then you know how hard it can be to look elsewhere to satisfy them.

It seems unnatural to demand those mighty things from mere hobbies or personal pursuits. But ultimately, those are the things that really matter. They’re not so tainted by money, deadlines, and the whims of higher ups. They are in fact, some of the few things in this world that can be completely yours. What could be more valuable than that?