Hi-ho Hi-ho
Happy Dwarves
Work as a brand has an identity issue. Jobs are often taken first as a means to an end. The intention is to make money. Not many first-time employees choose to work because they are bored at home scrolling on their phone. Let’s get into the wayback machine. If you can recall your first job, why did you choose it? When you dig a little deeper, the money was not the goal. The real goal was what the money would obtain. It’s never what we first think. The universe likes to bury their reasons. The money may have been needed for personal reasons, family need or a chance to start to get away from a situation. The dwarves didn’t seem very happy until they met someone to love outside of their group.
Work Force
The language attached to work is a major part of its problem. If someone could come up with some more positive words to discuss what we do with a third of our day in order to buy bread every week, that would elevate our involvement. It is possible to like what we do for work and there are good aspects about having jobs. We elevate the experience by calling it a career sometimes. That sets up a belief that there is a ladder of increasing responsibilities and an expectation of an increase in pay. When you add in terms like toil or labor, the prospect of going to work isn’t always something to look forward to. Those Sunday blues are well known for throwing water on the fun.
Out of Work
Most humans don’t want to be out of work until they choose to retire. Even then, without a suitable plan on how to use life’s hours, work might be missed. It’s really not the actual tasks that are missed. It is more likely to be the companions, feeling of importance or money that may be missed. Being out of work stings if it occurs too early. Being out of work also carries with it the possibility that a portion of life that filled many days has ended. Endings often don’t provide satisfaction we expected. Especially when they aren’t by choice.
Work Ideas
This will be a month of work. We will explore how to look at our work, our feelings about work and how to make improvements. Traditionally, most companies think they do a great job at creating great work environments, trainings that can result in promotions and workplaces that are safe. Those trapped inside those environments may differ with those beliefs. But there are always new ideas on how to improve work. These may not be clear or possible. We can work on them.
Are you more a Snow White or a Doc at work? Can you recall your first paid position? What did you do with your first earnings?
