Does work involve the destruction of the human spirit or an opportunity to ennoble it? A classic view of work as a simple exchange of time for money does not reflect the ability of the workplace to become a forum for the practice of not only the art of what we do but the essence of who we are. This can lead to not only economic benefits but also to great human transformation.
For many people, work represents the sum total of everything they would rather not be doing. Long and crowded commutes, a never ending to do list filled with repetitive or stressful tasks and a constant run through the gauntlet of workplace frictions and unfortunate events all combine at times to put resignation from employment at the top of one’s wish list.
As tempting as resigning from one’s post may be, the fact that most of our lives are spent working raises the question of whether the entire process of work, rather than representing a painful interlude between weekends or vacations, could be looked at in a different, more useful and ultimately more inspiring light.
Viewing work not as a economically necessary postponement of our true passions and interests but rather as a chance to put them into greater focus and practice creates the opportunity for converting the workplace into a path that leads to not only economic benefits but also constant self-realization and self-improvement.
Work as Craft
True craftsmanship, which can at times become eclipsed in a world often relentlessly focused on efficiency and cost reduction, is hard to define precisely but often possible to immediately perceive. We sense it when viewing a statue that took months to carve from stone, a garden that was built by the meticulous addition of one plant after the other or a piece of ceramics that came to life after countless hours of experimenting with different forms of glaze.
It represents an approach to work that is not merely focused on getting to an end result as quickly and at little cost as possible, but rather an opportunity to create something of high quality, honest expression and lasting value. This requires taking the time to learn to do something well, constantly seeking improvement and allowing the product of one’s labor to reflect the dedication to and passion for what one does. In an age where many things disappear as quickly as they are formed, something of the craftsman remains forever in every product he or she creates.
The result of craftsmanship leads to more than a better and more valuable product; it also allows the process of work to be converted into a direct link between who we are and what we do. Each task, regardless of how menial or important it may seem, brings the exact same opportunity to practice a set of skills and improve them. Repeating this over and over on the wheel of trial, error and discovery creates the possibility to see work not as a collection of isolated tasks without any real connection to each other but rather as an integrated path which can help us deeply connect with others and grow as people.
When we think of craftsmanship we often think of objects but craftsmanship does not only need to be limited to tasks that require the physical creation of something: one’s craft can be designing strategy, analyzing logistical systems or even inspiring others to be better. Regardless of whether it can be immediately seen or not, each of these activities, once carried out, reflect the unique stamp of the people involved in them.
Work as Meditation
Work can also be viewed as a form of meditation. While when thinking of meditation what often comes quickest to mind is an image of sitting in isolated silence in pristine natural surroundings unblemished by the march of man, the essence of meditation can not only be practiced but in fact can arguably be even more sharply honed in an environment like the workplace that creates a constant stream of challenges to maintaining a serene outlook.
Meditation at its basic level is a practice of coming to realize that one is not merely the thoughts that cross one’s mind. A careless thought does not mean that one needs to become careless; an angry thought does not mean that one is an angry person; a hopeless thought does not mean that one needs to embark on a path of hopelessness. The more that meditation is practiced, the more one becomes sensitive to the mental processes that create our constant stream of thoughts and more importantly the more one sees a distance between those thoughts and who one is. This space, between the capacity to think and the thought, between the action and the reaction, is an open field of incredible potential and possibility.
The workplace, with its constant distractions and stresses, is not the last place one should look to strenghten one’s ability to flexibly remain above interfering noise but rather one of the best. It is precisely the uncertainty, changeability and constant challenges of work that give us the opportunity to practice seeing these phenomena not as defining us but rather as triggers to different thought processes which may be positive or negative, helpful or counterproductive. We have the power to choose which of these lights we wish or wish not to follow.
Awareness of the mental processes that are set in motion once challenges arise allows us to see that difficulties do not need to force us into a corner where only one mental or physical response is possible but rather an opportunity for a range of actions which can often turn negative situations into positive ones.
Work as Service
Work can also be viewed as a form of service. Rather than narrowly referring to employment in the service sector of the company, where some type of act is carried out on behalf of another, it more deeply means conceptualizing our work not as merely the act of doing something for someone else but rather giving something of ourselves to someone else.
People might be surprised to learn that the word samurai, Japan’s ancient warrior class, actually is derived from a word that means to serve. While this meaning reflects the fact that a samurai was expected to dedicate his life to his lord, at a deeper level viewing one’s work as a form service was a powerful defense against the many mental processes and states of mind which could prevent a samurai from not only carrying out his duties but also more practically prevent him from staying alive as long as possible, including pride, arrogance and selfishly putting his own interests above those of others.
These states of mind could be very dangerous for people who were expected to put their life on the line in battle at a moment’s notice and to survive needed to constantly seek out their own weak points, cultivate a humble desire to eliminate them and view opportunities and risks with emotionless clarity.
Although far from ancient Japan, the modern workplace is an opportunity to put this spirit of service into practice. The dangers of the ego to do damage to our lives are just as present in the office as they are in the battlefield, and viewing work as service is a strong shield against states of mind that can harm our work product and relationships with colleagues and clients.
More generally, one’s employment represents the sum total of the contributions of a great many people, inside the office and out, and viewing work as a service is an opportunity to return one gift for another. This spirit of service can be carried out in endless ways, in acts that range from those that are seen throughout a company to those that are invisible: arriving early at work, being attentive to the needs of a company and trying to meet them and doing more than is expected.
Apart from specific acts, there is a deep instrinsic benefit to viewing what we do as a form of helping other people. It is an endless opportunity to rise above who and where we are and walk the invisible path that binds us as humans together. Seeing work in this light can create a tremendous store of will power, light and energy that can not only make positive contributions to the workplace but can convert work itself into a course of life that it worth following.
Conclusion
Every the best of work can be less than pleasant at times, but like any activity work is a process that we can have a great role in interpreting and defining. In addition to economic sustenance, work can become a discipline and training ground for many other skills and values, such as craftsmanship, practicing meditation or even acting in service to others. These factors can allow work to reflect not only something that takes up the majority of our time but a path to what we want to become.