I hope on this Labor Day you are actually able to rest. Stepping back from the workload is generally a good thing. Unless you’re one of those recently named “quiet quitters.”
A September 12th article in the Wall Street Journal reviews this new form of work slowdown. It’s said the phrase “quiet quitting” is getting millions of views on TikTok mainly from young professionals. The game being played is to stay on the company payroll while focusing time on activities done outside the office.
There is some good mixed in. There are advocates for not working overtime if it costs you more in family relationships. Another personal favorite of mine is to separate what you do for a living and your identity. A definite plus.
Covid-19 work restructuring has given new perspective to these young professionals. One of the TikTok videos has a fellow saying he works just as hard as he used to but has adjusted in other ways. “I just don’t stress and internally rip myself to shreds,” he explained. A wise young soul.
The Gallup research organization reports that worker engagement across generations is falling. I don’t consider that a good thing. Work is a very important part of life. We should view our contributions as important and worth serious engagement.
There’s an old joke that my wife and I still exchange. I might perform some task for my wife and say, “It’s the least I can do. And, you know, I ALWAYS do the least I can do!’’ For some reason, she thinks it’s funnier when SHE says it.
It reminds me of my time in the military. I’d occasionally hear a fellow soldier say, “It’s good enough for government work.” The Grammarist explains, “'Good enough for government work' and 'close enough for government work' are both American idioms to describe something that is merely adequate, something that meets the bare minimum standards, something that is subpar.”
I don’t like that. In fact, it borders on sloppiness. Even sloth—which the dictionary defines as “reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness.” People serious about their faith should run from that approach to work.
On the other side, I recall meeting with a renowned radio consultant in a former job. At breakfast he asked me, “What is the first thing you think about when you awake in the morning?” No one had ever asked me that before.
As I gave my response to the basics of “rise and shine,” he was unimpressed. He told me that “great radio talent” wakes up and starts thinking immediately of their work and things to talk about. I guess that may be true.
That being said, I’ve always put a lot of work into my work. I wanted to get better at my craft. And I definitely wanted to stay engaged. But I’ve never wanted to be “owned” by a job. Any job.
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works or thinks or reasons or even knows anything.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Keep in mind Solomon also found pursuing work at all costs was nothing but vanity.
I’m no “quiet quitter.” And I hope you are not either. But a good amount of rest makes life a lot better.
So, yes, it’s Labor Day. But I plan to take a good, long nap.
The Gallup research organization reports that worker engagement across generations is falling. I don’t consider that a good thing. Work is a very important part of life. We should view our contributions as important and worth serious engagement.
There’s an old joke that my wife and I still exchange. I might perform some task for my wife and say, “It’s the least I can do. And, you know, I ALWAYS do the least I can do!’’ For some reason, she thinks it’s funnier when SHE says it.
It reminds me of my time in the military. I’d occasionally hear a fellow soldier say, “It’s good enough for government work.” The Grammarist explains, “'Good enough for government work' and 'close enough for government work' are both American idioms to describe something that is merely adequate, something that meets the bare minimum standards, something that is subpar.”
I don’t like that. In fact, it borders on sloppiness. Even sloth—which the dictionary defines as “reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness.” People serious about their faith should run from that approach to work.
On the other side, I recall meeting with a renowned radio consultant in a former job. At breakfast he asked me, “What is the first thing you think about when you awake in the morning?” No one had ever asked me that before.
As I gave my response to the basics of “rise and shine,” he was unimpressed. He told me that “great radio talent” wakes up and starts thinking immediately of their work and things to talk about. I guess that may be true.
That being said, I’ve always put a lot of work into my work. I wanted to get better at my craft. And I definitely wanted to stay engaged. But I’ve never wanted to be “owned” by a job. Any job.
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works or thinks or reasons or even knows anything.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Keep in mind Solomon also found pursuing work at all costs was nothing but vanity.
I’m no “quiet quitter.” And I hope you are not either. But a good amount of rest makes life a lot better.
So, yes, it’s Labor Day. But I plan to take a good, long nap.
That’s Forward Thinking.
You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?
For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com
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