The meaning of work.
THE OLD MODEL OF WORK
The Fear-based Model of Work: This model stems from people’s desire to satisfy elementary needs such as financial security and to maintain a sense of self-control and stability in life, as well as to satisfy secondary desires such as the attainment of social status, power, and prestige. All too often and for far too many, viewing work in this manner results less in a state of personal satisfaction than in a vicious cycle of mental slavery and social bondage, wherein employment is seen as a means to achieve material ends, while real life occurs on the weekends or in-between TV episodes.
The Problem: The problem with following this old working model is that it tends to anesthetize the mind. Going through robotic motions for hours on end, day after day, operating as though on autopilot, people are apt to slip into a subtle yet deadening sense of meaninglessness regarding what they do and how they do it. Based solely on the principle of survival of the fittest, this attitudinal model regarding work impedes creativity and discounts interbeing connections; it discounts the spiritual side of human existence. A sort of pickling of the brain is inevitable when one lives in this manner. Doing just enough to get by often leads to rapid burn-out and, paradoxically, spendthrift habits, as workers attempt to “self-medicate” via material indulgences to compensate for their underlying sense that their lives are slipping by them in eight-hour chunks devoted to meaningless activities.
THE CURRENT MODEL OF WORK
Transformational model: Work to adults is as play is to children. It is an expression of the self and serves as a vehicle via which the soul passes through this world. Work is a garden of creativity with cross-pollinations of human values and belief systems. It is a spiritual playground where we exercise our philosophical muscles and pursue enlightenment in life. Without meaningful outlets for self-expression, the soul becomes wilted like a dry willow.
How to enjoy work:
1. Strive towards making your work an expression of yourself and your values and belief systems. For some, work may not have any meaning other than just earning money. Nevertheless, what you do with your money to benefit yourself and others can bring you deep satisfaction in life.
2. Be open to receiving blessings daily in your interactions with clients and coworkers. Look to find laughter in everything that you do.
3. Understand and regularly remind yourself that there is no higher honor in life than to work and serve other people.
4. Recognize that mindful work has the capacity to heal all sufferings, close all emotional wounds, and enable you to surpass all self-limitations.
5. Remember that work is the best place to groom your social virtues of tolerance, compassion, patience, and understanding.
6. Strive to become a better person every day through your work. If you are feeling defeated, empty, mistreated, unappreciated, or underutilized, perhaps you are not doing the right kind of work. Or perhaps you should reexamine how you view work in general. So doing, you may realize that the source of your unhappiness is not your job in itself, but rather, your attitude towards it. Sometimes, a simple attitude adjustment can make all the difference, as mindfulness applied to the performance of even the most minor tasks can bring about a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in life.
7. A bad work environment is like a bad marriage; it will not improve itself. Like an abusive spouse, an abusive boss will not change for you without your taking decisive action to inspire him or her to change. Furthermore, you bear some responsibility for how people treat you, as, whether you are aware of it or not, you send others signals telling them what you will and will not tolerate in your interactions with them. Therefore, you must look closely at yourself to assess what kinds of signals you send other people, and, as needed, take steps to change and grow in how you manage your relationships with your coworkers and superiors.
8. Lastly, it is vital that you remember that work is the life-museum where your contributions and creative energy will become the indelible gifts that you leave behind for generations to come. What kind of a worker are you? What are your contributions to your workplace? How do your coworkers, superiors, and customers or clients view you? By regularly thinking about your life-museum, you will be far more likely to experience a greater sense of purpose in your role at work.
Good luck with your work! Namaste!