Meaningful Work- Kade-Jah Browne H01(Final Blog Post)

Meaningful Work is described in many different ways, this is because individuals find meaning and fulfillment in different things. Therefore, what work they perceive to be meaningful tends to differ as well. Michael F. Steger discusses the "key to greater satisfaction and performance for individuals", from reading through his concise explanation I gathered three questions on how to determine what an individual considers to be meaningful work. These three questions are; why am I working? Am I accomplishing my goal for working? Do I find joy or purpose in my job?

Why am I working?

People work for a variety of reasons. Skillroads's blog entitled "5 Reasons Why People Really Go to Work" lists and expands on reasons why people work. No surprise the first reason listed was money. The need for money is quite apparent, so apparent in fact you don't need to think about why it's number one on the list. People need money for the bare necessities for survival in the modern world. Food that used to be hunted and farmed by individual families is now bought in stores, clothing that once has been made from plants and animal hides is also not bought in stores. Homes that were built either by the individual or a community are now rented and sold. We need money for sustenance, shelter, comfort, and recreation. Without money, an individual will live a life that modern society will consider to be unrewarding. For this reason, making money influences a large majority of people to work. 

Social recognition and affirmation. A question many may ask after hearing that a lot of people work for the purpose of receiving money is, what about people who were born wealthy or individuals who have retired and have a good financial cushion? Which is a great introduction to social recognition. Humans are social creatures. Although some may like to work in seclusion (i.e me) others prefer to work around others. People appreciate when their work is being acknowledged and being praised for doing a good job. Some simply like the companionship of others in the workspace. Maybe children of wealthy individuals or the stereotypical trophy wife/husband throw themselves into volunteer work and charities, some out of a good place and others to gain social recognition and to  be praised for doing good deeds. Another part of social recognition is respect, not very many people are respected for being born into wealth when they did absolutely nothing to earn it, many branch out to work to gain respect from their peers and others, which helps fuel their self-esteem and create a sense of happiness.

What do you do  when you've spent years honing a special skill/talent? Do you just stop doing it because you've acquired a healthy living or because you're all set in the companionship department? NO! at least for some. Another reason people chose to work is to utilize skills or learn more. This, I imagine, would ring true for people who have spent large portions of their lives honing muscle memory such as craftspeople and artists of all sorts. Wouldn't it be a complete waste if you just stop creating because you no longer need to?

Am I accomplishing my goals for working?

It's imperative for an individual to know their reason for working. It's arguably more important for them to achieve the set goals for their reason for working. Whether or not these goals are achieved helps determine if someone finds meaning in their work. Let's take, for example, someone whose goal is to make money in order to have a sustainable life. They can go down two main pathways. The first path involves the individual making the amount of money they need to cover their bills and still provide comfort, the second path, is one in which they are making money but is struggling to pay their bills. The individual going down the first path will more likely find their job meaningful because their goal for having a sustainable life is being met.

Do I Find Purpose in my Job?

This part get's a little tricky, as it is so similar to the original question of what is meaningful work. Logistically speaking, meaningful work requires your work to have a purpose beyond your reason for working (the word work is being used too much). I look at it this way, the reason for working is mainly self-based, but the purpose for working is beyond yourself. Again this is tricky so I'm going to refer to the below video and hope it clarifies and expands on the view I have in a way that you can understand.

In all, the definition of meaningful work is determined by the individual and what they perceive to be meaningful, therefore, mimicking others' behaviours because they seem to be happy will not work. Each person needs to consider for themself what will bring them happiness and follow that path as long as it does not cause harm to themself or others. Finding meaningful work is extremely important for your mental health, working without meaning tend to lead to a dull life and burnout. So as Dolly Parton says, "If you don't like the road you're walking on, start paving another one" and find the things that bring joy to your life and incorporate it into your work.