You might be working a fair amount of days every week.
One reason is likely to get paid. Maybe you have to pay for food and for the place you are living?
I believe that my work should be meaningful – at least to myself. If I do not consider it meaningful – then I find that more than problematic – since I spend a big proportion of my life working.
Do I need to get paid a salary? Yes. At least in the country of Denmark where I am living. That is how the system is. It is not “allowed” to just go and set up camp and live in the forest – as an example. I am not sure that I would enjoy that too much either – especially during winter time. Today it is minus one degrees Celsius outside (feeling like minus six degrees due to the chill factor / wind – while the sun is shining and no clouds in the vicinity).
So other than getting paid a salary – what makes my life while working meaningful to me?
What makes my life while working less meaningful to me?
If I start with a brief attempt to answer the latest question: Simply put I do not enjoy #pseudowork (in Danish, my native language: #pseudoarbejde). Pseudowork is something that I do not consider meaningful. Something that – in my view – does not bring value to the customers of the organization or organizations I strive to contribute to – with colleagues of mine. I also believe that doing pseudowork, perceiving that others are doing pseudowork or feeling somehow forced to do pseudowork can have very negative effects on our lives. Therefore I think this is a very relevant topic in contemporary life – and I think this is in stark contrast to what is sometimes referred to as purpose (especially a greater meaning of life).
What I am saying in short: If we spend a big amount of time working – then it must be meaningful at the very least to ourselves – while maybe others cannot see the meaning (value of our work). I do not want to kill myself merely for the sake of getting paid. Life is simply too short and precious for that – in my view.
Here I want to thank a colleague of mine for pointing me to a book titled: “Pseudowork: How We Ended Up Being Busy Doing Nothing” (in Danish titled: “Pseudoarbejde: Hvordan vi fik travlt med at lave ingenting”). I will leave my colleague nameless – as the authors of the book also have done with their sources – since this can be a difficult topic to talk openly about. I highly recommend reading this book by philosopher Anders Fogh Jensen and anthropologist Dennis Nørmark.
It seems to me that some find a lot of purpose in their work. Some do not. Even in the same organization. Why is that? Can this be changed so all – or at least most – perceive their work as meaningful? I am curious.
If you feel stuck. If you perceive that you yourself – or others are doing pseudowork – then I invite you to reflect on whether you want to keep on doing that?
When reflecting on such questions I personally believe it is key to take a good hard look at yourself more than on others. I try to do that – while that is hard work. Am I contributing to pseudowork myself somehow?
I also invite you to reflect on this question: Can I personally take action right now – to decrease or even eliminate pseudowork? If not: What is holding me back?
Personally I think part of a solution is to have the courage to openly talk about this topic.
Please feel free to ask questions, comment and connect with me.
If you for whatever reason do not want to have a dialogue in the open – then feel free to reach out to me in another way. I will by default always keep any dialogue between you and me unless you explicitly allow me to do otherwise. That is my personal ethics.
To be continued.
Sources
Note that I do not have any affiliation with including any economic interests relative to the authors or the organizations below offering the books for purchase – while I do find the topic foundational for living a meaningful life including work.
- https://www.pseudoarbejde.dk/
- Book (English): “Pseudowork: How We Ended Up Being Busy Doing Nothing” (https://www.gyldendal.dk/produkter/pseudowork–9788702298802)
- Book (Danish): “Pseudoarbejde: Hvordan vi fik travlt med at lave ingenting” (https://www.gyldendal.dk/produkter/pseudoarbejde-9788702245325)