A Sense of Accomplishment in Work

Work has an appeal to some people. Yes, people, not Martians. Work that is good, honest, productive labor moves a need forward, accomplishes tasks rolls back the entropy that is our lives. Many see it as something to avoid, but there are some who, despite modern stereotypes, work hard and work smart for the sake of making their lives, and the lives of those around them better. 

There are many jobs that fit in this category and all are honorable in their own right. I appreciate the job well done of ditch diggers, school teachers, policemen, iron workers, scientists, restaurant workers and so many more. Because of the work they do, my life is a little easier. I am just as grateful to the doctor who gives me my checkup as I am to the restaurant server who brings me a well cooked meal.

Why do so many of us sneer at work? Why do so many of us dread the "Monday Morning Melee?" Why do so many of us, no matter what we do find the "honest day's work" as a necessary evil?

Growing up, I had a father who for the lion’s share of his career worked in heavy industry from steel/iron foundries to fabrication shops usually as a welder or fitter. He has work that we see in railroad cars, bridge girders, even in a few structural components in buildings. I remember him coming home as filthy as a coal miner, even to the point where we got him his own washing machine so as to reduce the risk to our own regular clothes. He would walk in the door haggard and exhausted, drop off his gear, and head straight for the shower. As he worked swing shift for much of the time in my memory, he would often be heading straight for bed. The following morning, we would be up and gone to school before he was up and he would be gone. He had been in college in the early 1970's but had to quit to support his budding family. Never having gone back, his jobs hardly ever rose beyond basic subsistence living. Now retired, his physical strength needed for such work has left him and he has become his father, the older man, still able, but a tired, worn out piece of leather  that had seen too many years in an industry he didn't care for but felt he could not escape. 

There are many stories like the one of my father and many more with more difficult end stories. I often hear about people who work two full time jobs and that is just to make ends meet. There is no time to be a father, mother, neighbor, friend, husband, or wife. Work has become the necessary evil in our lives as I had described. So where is this sense of accomplishment? 

First, and I say this knowing this means an enormous change for many people, you need to do something you love to do. This is a hard sell to a lot of people because many instantly think of their favorite NBA star or Actor. Others even think of the Great American Novel they want to write. I classify all of these in the list of worthy professions above but well beyond the reach of a lot of us. This is not to say they are impossible but more about a generality that does not actually answer the thing we love. For example, just because we can't make basketball our profession, doesn't mean we can't schedule some time to shoot some hoops. Just because we can't drop everything and become the next Tom Cruise doesn't mean a foray into community theatre is impossible. And the great American Novel should never be solely about getting something published. It should be about expressing ones imagination in writing and putting it out for the precious few who surround us every day to enjoy. In this age of the internet, we can share all kinds of talents with the world and much of that sharing is through free channels. This blog is one. When we can enjoy these things we feel a sense of accomplishment and life is a little more enjoyable. 

Second, We often look at the work we have to do in life and it seems daunting. When we feel like we are "Under the Mountain" we struggle to find enjoyment in what we do, even if it is something we like. There is an old saying for this. "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." 

We look at our jobs and if we look close enough most big jobs are really a collection of smaller, easier tasks. When viewed as a whole it is overwhelming at times. But when broken down into its constituent parts, it becomes more manageable and we begin to eat the elephant. 

For example, with housework, particularly our living room, it doesn't take long before it looks like it has been turned over by burglars. The couch becomes a clothes horse, the piano a book rack, and the floor seems to be the best place in my kids minds for their backpacks and jackets. Many of these things can be taken care of by recalling the offenders to the room to rectify the situation but honestly, much of the mess is just everyday use, not really negligence. Instead of looking at the whole room, start with a piece of furniture, I like the piano as it is a good starting place that I can remember. Start a stopwatch as you begin. You'll see why later. Clean it up, dust it, etc. Get the first piece done. Most should take just seconds to minutes. Now move to the next piece of furniture. Do the same, and the next, and the next. Then divide up the room in logical sections and pick up the items on the floor. Be sure to check the little hiding places, under cushions, behind armchairs etc. Before you know it the room is already looking pretty good. Now gravity works still so next you will want to dust or wipe things down that, as items and dirt go astray, they hit the floor. Clean from high to low. Saves time. Last sweep and mop or vacuum as appropriate. Here is the kicker. Check the stopwatch. Chances are, you will be surprised at what you see there. Feel that good feeling. That is accomplishment. 

At regular intervals, for me it is usually Saturday, go a little deeper and move the couches, vacuum the cushions, clean the couch covers, throws, pillows etc. vacuum blinds and wash windows. It will take a little longer but it takes care of details. 

Now, this same method can apply to many tasks. Break it down. Time yourself. Plow into it, piece by piece, step by step. 

Last, One problem everyone has when we look at our day and the finite resources we have, particularly time, is we work to get work done and then once the boss is gone, we slide into our own agenda. Solitaire comes up on the computer or Facebook comes up. Taking time for one self is not bad. The problem is that sometimes we look up and realize three hours had gone by and we are still on the same level of our game! We have accomplished nothing. We meant to take just a short break to let our brain rest, or at least shift gears but then time gets away from us. Lack of planning is the cause in the beginning but eventually it becomes an avoidance tactic. It moves from an innocent break to a selfish indulgence. All of us are guilty of it. For one it is movies, for another it is games. A break is good, but a daily vacation is not. So what do we do?

Return the break to a break by description. Start out the day working and doing. Then at a set time, deliberately stop and take a break. get up and stretch and walk around a bit. Play ONE round of your addictive game. Then, back to work. Be sure the breaks are at scheduled times or good stopping points in the work. After the break, get right back into work and keep going. At the next break do something different. For instance, if you played a game on your phone for part of it, this time send an encouraging test to a special friend or a post on Facebook. Just one. 

At the end of every break, review what you have done. Write down a list of the things you get done. As you go through our day, you will be amazed how much you can actually get done. Look at the list at the end. Feel that feeling? That is accomplishment again. feels good, doesn't it? 

As time goes on, change up what you do and how you do it. If you have certain tasks you always do, trade up with some one. it keeps things interesting, especially watching someone else learn your task. Where appropriate, race someone on a task. it adds an element of competition to the task. Keep it friendly. 

Work was never meant to be a drudgery. It was meant to be a tool to teach us skills, get things done and taken care of and most importantly be an outward expression of who we are and what we wish to add to this life. Some may even say it is one way of saying to those we surround ourselves with, that we love them and wish to make their lives easier, more pleasant, and more enjoyable. That is a great accomplishment.