2020 was the year where we saw the structures created by the society crumbling before us – getting regular education in a brick and mortar institute, going to the office every day, standing too close in the line, lack of personal hygiene. All were blown away leaving weak remains. People were forced to look at parts of their lives they had ignored for so long.
This is the year to get rid of all the rigged and bogus structures of the society beginning with the messed up work system.
The original 9-to-5 culture is dead and what we have now is sucking the life out of every working person around the world.
The current work culture is promoting the idea of overworking, burnout and working non-stop outside the hours of your work life and sacrificing other areas of your life. Anyone who does this is typically patted on the back for bending backwards and apparently still continues to work with broken bones.
The 9-to-5 work culture was the norm when my grandfather was a working man in his 30s, he had a family of 3 kids, a wife and an old mother to support. The kids knew their father would be home on the weekends, reading the newspaper and relaxing, evenings were ‘family time’
The norm today? The kids know their parents would hand them the tablet or the phone so they can keep out of the way so the parents can fully drown in work. Those having a different non-family lifestyle are expected to put in more effort and hours. Isn’t that absolutely bizarre?
Toxic Productivity
Productivity is "the buzzword" of the century. Almost everyone is intently focused on "How to be more productive" but what is hindering the productivity?
Toxic productivity is when you are trying to get more done in lesser time pushing against the flow of things. The hollow feeling of “reward” at the end makes it seem worthwhile but at what cost?
Side effects may include,
- High stress levels
- Unable to think anything besides “task lists” and being “productive”
- Hobbies and other interests slowly become non-existent
- Other areas of life aren’t really exciting
- You hardly have time for anything
If the events of 2020 were a life lesson, it would be — all that rushing through life, all the lists, goals and achievements are completely futile. The unpredictable events won’t be slowing down anytime soon and each one of us would only be left with regret – “I wish I lived more, enjoyed more, traveled more, loved more, and laughed more…”
Stepping back and observing the inevitable changes I noticed something disturbing. When structural ways of “work” and “going to the office” were shattered, and most of us have to work from home now, the high authorities deemed that it was okay if the work hours didn’t exist anymore. Almost everyone around me was casually on their laptop at 2AM discussing something with their boss. Professionalism? Yes, dead.
Is it really healthy to be up at 2AM for work?
As the trailblazers have taught us “Never settle for less than you deserve” which people mostly use in their relationships and we should, but this must be applied in all areas of life. Why would you adjust with a boss who doesn’t appreciate the work you put in? Why would you adjust with a friend who makes fun of your choices? Why would you adjust with a partner who doesn’t communicate clearly?
The habit of settling down for less than we deserve is the reason for so many fragile and disruptive systems around the world.
An unhealthy work culture will
- Give you high levels of stress
- Keep you from living your life
- You won’t feel healthy – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually
- Lose interest in your passion for career, hobbies etc.
I had to stop myself, otherwise the list goes on. We have normalized stress and struggle up to such a level that almost everyone is going through the above because the work culture has adapted to these.
Some of you will argue “It is my company/startup, I love to work even for long hours”
I get it and you have every right to have the absolute joy it brings to have and run your own company and along with anyone else you is willing to do this with you. But you have no right to rob your employees their valuable time to make them focus on ‘your dream’, you must not force them to sacrifice their personal life.
In this New Year,
Normalize a healthy work environment, limited working hours, spending time with your friends and family, taking a vacation, exploring your hobbies.
Stop equating Stress with work and rewards, stop normalizing stress and struggle, stop making it okay to sacrifice your love life to work more, stop sacrificing your interests and passions.
Even though our world only works a certain way there are always exceptions to the norm and not all people might have such a work environment or a hard boss. But if you still find yourself deliberately drowning in work, high levels of stress and no life beyond that, you must ask yourself some life-changing questions.
What are you afraid of?
If you are deliberately drowning yourself into piles of work, what are you trying to avoid in life? Are you afraid to actually live life?
If you have a family, are you unwilling to have a good relationship with your partner and children? Does it feel too much or do you feel inadequate?
If you are single or in a relationship, are you not willing to look beyond your work to the things that life offers?
You might drown yourself in work because you don’t want to face the fact that you are doing something you hate. You might feel stressed because you have no one to share your heart with and life feels empty. You might distract yourself because you are afraid to look within, to change yourself and let the old beliefs crumble away.
Life has given each of us our fair share of roller coaster experiences and teachers for guidance. But it doesn’t matter if you go to the greatest problem solver of the world, you still won’t find the solution because only you are the one living your unique life experiences. And till you don’t silence the mind and listen to your heart and wisdom, your life would be an echo of the past and an endless cycle of stress and unhappiness.
In this new year
- Silence your mind and the world
- Do something every day that makes you feel better (binging TV shows doesn’t count)
- Write an appreciation list
- Take heart-ful action
The change you seek externally always begins internally
Until next time,
Sangmitra
