WHAT IS ‘WORK’?
WHAT DOES ‘WORK’ MEAN?
What is work, and what do we mean when we talk about work?
For many of us, and certainly for older generations, I believe work is a means to an end, seen as a source of money which provides a quality of living and therefore a quality of life. Therefore it is something to be endured, a necessary evil that one day will be over and the sweet release of retirement can begin.
However I like to think that perceptions are changing. Work still carries with it a lot of pressure and responsibility, especially in the current climate of job losses and economic struggles, but does that mean that work needs to be arduous?
Work can be a job, a career, a passion.
Work can also be paid or voluntary.
Work can be for yourself or someone else.
Work can be in an office, in the great outdoors, at home. In fact with modern technology work can be quite literally anywhere in the world.
Work can be with colleagues, on your own and or with your children.
Work certainly means different things to different people and evokes different feelings.
Do parents seeing raising their children as work? If they don’t, should they?
Do people who are self-employed to follow their dream and passion, see that as work? Something that is a means to end until the can retire?
With so many different possibilities and connotations that constitute work, I wonder how life would feel if we eliminated the word ‘work’?
If we looked at each day in terms of how we needed and wanted to spend our time would we start to feel differently about the day ahead or just passed?
Words have emotions associated with them and I think ‘work’ is a very emotive word. So throughout March 2013 I will spend my month looking at what emotions surround the word work for me, and how my feelings around the word work impact and influence my ability to find, embrace and create fun. If I’m in work mode, can I have fun, if I’m in fun mode do I berate myself for not working harder…or, am I in fact just working smarter?
I shall report back at the end of the month, until then, I invite you to also think about and explore your relationship with the word work and see it is pushing you forwards positively or with fear, or if it is holding you back and limiting your possibilities and achievements.
And above all, stay happy and find fun!
Lydia x