Sometimes I find myself thinking “I should be working” in the middle of work.
I’ll be in the middle of research, or designing a newsletter for a client when the thought strikes. Logically, I understand that I am working but it’s as if my inherited Puritan work ethic refuses to acknowledge anything enjoyable as being “real work”. As ridiculous as that sounds, I know that I’m not the only one who experiences this. As a society we often talk about creative or non-conventional jobs as not being “real work”. In that sense, we all decided that “work” is synonymous with “misery”.
Maybe it’s the inherited Puritan Work Ethic.
It’s a cultural heritage most Americans share, whether we’ve descended from Pilgrim Stock or not. We brag about how hard we work, how many hours we put in, and how much we’ve gotten done that day. We brag about being “busy” as if it’s badge of honour- then we complain about how much we hate our jobs and how tired we are. We’ve been told our whole lives that hard work is a virtue. We’ve been primed or it, praised for it, and told that we’d be rewarded for it. If those rewards didn’t appear, we were even told that”hard work is it’s own reward”. What a scam.
What does it even mean to be “productive”?
If it’s about producing things, as the origin word implies, then why aren’t artists praised for their work ethic? After-all, they are actively creating something while most of us sit at desks and answer emails all day. If it’s about completing tasks, then why don’t we get to go home once our job is done? Instead, we are encouraged to look busy- even if there’s nothing to do.
I’m trying to train myself out of feeling productive.
Some days I get many things done, and some days I don’t. Some days I create, and some days I don’t. Some days I cross everything off my to-do list, and some days I don’t. Instead of praising or punishing myself for these arbitrary measures, I’m focusing on my physical, mental, and emotional energy. I still try to get everything that needs to be done done, but I am learning to balance tasks with life. Isn’t that more “productive” in the long term anyway?
Bringing Mae Flowers 
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