Why do we work?
What makes us get up and go to work?
What about you personally – why do you work? Do you work just for the money or do you fully appreciate the purpose and joy that work can bring?
My nephew recently started his first full-time job which got me thinking about what work means and what it can provide in our lives.
Here are my thoughts on why we work. How many do you agree with?
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A feeling of pride and self-satisfaction
Doing your job well gives you a feeling of self-satisfaction and pride.
I don’t care what your job is either. Regardless of whether you are the office cleaner or the company CEO, you should still take pride in your work.
You should always take pride in a job well done.
More work-related content –
- How to Be Happy at Work
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- How Would Your Work Colleagues Describe You?
- The 12 Types of People You Will Talk to about Work
Friendship
Some of my best friendships have been formed at work. The people who I have made friends with at work have had a profound impact on my life.
Working together can accelerate the bonding process and help you to get to know each other.
Granted there are people who aren’t interested in this aspect of work life but if do choose to make friends at work you will find it incredibly fulfilling (not to mention lots of fun).
A sense of belonging
We might whine about our companies occasionally but they can also give us a strong sense of belonging and unity.
Hopefully, you can say you are proud to work where you do.
Often you can put people together that have very little in common in their personal lives but they will connect over belonging to an organization, team or workgroup.
A sense of contribution
I think one of the things people struggle with when they retire is that they feel they are no longer contributing and participating in society as much as they were when they were working.
Work gives you a sense of contribution.
Our ability to add value and make a difference should never be underestimated.
An opportunity to help others
Many jobs involve helping others whether they be people, animals, or the environment.
Many involve saving lives. When you think about it, that’s pretty incredible!
Of course, you don’t have to save lives to help people. There are so many ways the responsibilities of your job can help someone else.
Growth and learning
Work allows us to learn and grow. Whether it’s learning new processes, systems, or skills or learning how to deal with different types of personalities.
The best jobs are the ones that help us grow as a person and as a professional and allow us to continue learning on a regular basis.
Mentoring is an important part of this process. Learning from people who excel in their respective fields can fast-track your career along with forming lasting professional relationships.
Looking to ramp up your skills? CreativeLive has an excellent range of online courses that you can take in the comfort of your own home at your own pace. Have a peek through their range of business courses to see what’s right for you.
The opportunity to be creative
Creativity is at the core of many professions. It gives people a chance to express themselves through words, music, and movement (just to name a few).
It opens up a world of possibility, wonder, and innovation.
Creativity isn’t just for writers or actors. Many conventional professions allow for elements of creativity in their everyday execution.
Related post – How to Be More Creative
Travel and adventure
Some people get to travel the world and take grand adventures as part of their work.
I was originally going to write ‘some lucky people’ but then I realized two things. One not everyone views traveling the world as something they would want to do for a living and two luck probably has nothing to do with it!
Often people who travel extensively for work make many sacrifices to do so.
Related post – 12 Lessons Learned From my First Travel Writing Assignment
Happiness and pure joy
Yes, folks work can make us happy.
I know we don’t always feel that way early on a Monday morning but nevertheless, it’s true.
Whether you are building your own business or working for someone else work can bring great happiness and joy.
Prestige and power
Some roles come with great prestige and power.
Getting to that level can take hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, and hopefully excellent leadership skills if you are managing other people.
Money
Granted for many people, money may be a priority much higher up on this list.
We need money to provide for our basic needs. How much money we need is down to each individual and their lifestyle choices.
Yet for many people, money is not the be-all and end-all.
Many people choose lower-earning professions because they simply love the work they are doing.
The next time you are having a bad day at work (and let’s face it we all have those) remind yourself of the purpose and joys of work.
If you enjoyed this post please share it with your friends. You never know who just might need reminding why they are at work today.
PS. Notice attending endless meetings is NOT on this list. Many companies have far too many meetings, but that’s a whole separate post!
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