Hey, all; A Happy And Healthy Friday, And An Even Happier And Healthier Holiday Season –
So, I was originally just going to write something generally heartwarming, maybe crib a few lines from A Christmas Carol; and really just kind of leave things on a mellow note before the holidays next week. And then this morning, I saw this:
Wayfair CEO: Employees need to work longer hours
I’ll let you read the story and make your own conclusions; though I’ll admit that it wasn’t a enjoyable read from this end.. Aside from immediately souring my mood and putting me off of my morning coffee, (for a little bit, anyway) seeing such a blatant bit of modern Scroogery at both this time of year, and more generally at a time when the wage gap between CEOs and their employees seems to be ever-widening, I scrapped my original outline. Instead, I hope that you all will just allow me a few minutes to speak from the heart.
You are not your jobs, and your jobs are not you. Whether you like it, or hate it, your job exists to provide sustenance, a roof over you, and/or your family’s heads, and with enough left over the occasional fun distraction. Your work exists primarily to benefit yourself, not some faceless boss with whom you will never meet. If you are working as part of a team, you put the effort forth because it is both the right thing to do, and your respect yourself enough to do so. Your work and your home life are separate; period. If you work remotely from home, your off hours are to be respected, and you are allowed to clock in and out on the tick. Your mental and physical health is more important than any assignment, and you are worth infinitely more as a person than whatever it says on your pay stub. Though it might often feel like there are more downs in the world than ups, the world is a far more beautiful and vibrant place than it looks from behind a screen, and you owe it to yourself to experience as much of it firsthand as you can. Your coworkers can be close friends, but no company is ever your family. And finally, to give of oneself freely is among the most noble of endeavors, and there are far nobler ways to do so than at one’s job.
Whew! Sorry about the rant, this week. But seeing stuff like the statement in the above article just pings me the wrong way; and I figured that a little positivity could go a long way to alleviating such sentiment. Tl;dr: you’re appreciated, in both the holiday season, and beyond.
As ever, have a safe and productive rest of the say, safe trip home, if out, and a great weekend and holidays. And, for those who might not celebrate said holidays, May you and yours at be fortunate enough to at least get Monday off,