What really is work?

I am often asked, do you work a 4 day week? You would think that as a leader in this conversation globally I would be able to just say yes. However,  for me, as it is for many people, the question is, what is work?

We often hear from people who “work” too many hours – “But I love my work!”  - “We have a real work ethic here.”

And this is fantastic, but for me I have been trying to get the heart of what REALLY is work. For our lives to be fulfilling and also to enable our society to be successful, being able to define what we need to work ON might help with this question.

What are the other things that we also describe as work?

How many times have you thought or heard someone say, “I need to work on my fitness.” We even call exercise - a workout. Or some of these nuggets:

• I need to work on putting time aside for me

• I need to work on my communication skills

• She needs to work on her people skills

• We need to work on our relationship, I want our relationship to work.

• He’ll work it out

• I’m going outside to work in the garden

• I need to work on my tan (well that was the more the case before skin cancer told us not to)

• I hope things work out for you

So work is not just the place you go and the things you do to earn the dollars you need or desire to maintain your lifestyle. So when we talk about reducing work time, we are in fact freeing up to work on other parts of our lives.

What would you WORK on if you had more time?

Would you:

• Spend more time with your partner and build your relationship

• Spend more time with your family – children, parents, those who matter to you most

• Learn a new skill in support of your career

• Take time for a favourite hobby

• Engage in a community project

• Join a committee for a charitable project, such as Rotary

• Participate in civic duties

• Get fit

• Prepare more healthy meals

• Garden

• Get a side hustle

All of this is pleasurable, all of this can be defined as work.

No one on their deathbed says, I wish I had spent more time at work.

It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol. – Brené Brown

As business leaders we need to remember that we borrow our people from their lives. – Charlotte Lockhart