Lately, I have been reading some exciting materials for class. I love to read, as it is truly my chance to learn new information and share it with the world. I have been known to read a book in one sitting if it is a page-turner and thought-provoking. Since I love to read and graduate school is one of my jobs, is it work? Does it go hand-in-hand with freedom?
According to Merriam-Webster, work can be defined as “to exert oneself physically or mentally especially in sustained effort for a purpose or under compulsion or necessity.” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).
We can examine work in that way or simply define it as a way to get tasks done in a timely manner. Yes, graduate school is work and hard work. Will this hard work pay off in my career? Yes, and it should yield something quite spectacular. Is my work as a freelance writer a necessity? Yes, and it is what keeps me afloat financially and mentally. Do I consider writing work? Not really, I consider it a way of sharing one of my talents with the world.
Do work and freedom go hand-in-hand?
In previous corporate culture, one would argue probably not. In today’s corporate culture and with the demands of the pandemic, one would advocate that these two terms are being blended more frequently.
Recently, there was an article in The Wall Street Journal that focused on how the workforce is changing in light of the pandemic. It is becoming more of a standard for employees to seek out the freedom of working from home for more flexibility. I was fascinated by the article, as I have been working as a freelance writer for several years. The article discussed the trend in more people leaving steady employment or being able to continue their employment all while being at home.
In 2015, I left my full-time position to have more flexibility, as I was a new mother and wanted to try something new. It yielded in allowing me to stay at home and watch my son take his first steps, his first words, and receive my undivided attention. By leaving a full-time position, I was able to work for different clients and learn new things along the way. I went from phone calls to Zoom meetings. It has been quite rewarding and challenging along the way.
Flexibility in work
When it comes to the premise of the article, flexibility in work is an overarching theme. The author touched upon freedom in today’s environment. In today’s environment, we want the flexibility to choose who, what, and when we work. “Real flexibility is having autonomy to choose your people, your purpose and your priorities.” (Grant, 2021). While this is great, we often do not have this ability to choose, especially if we are still employed by a company that does not provide this.
We are still log in for meetings on Zoom and Skype. We still collaborate. The demands, as the article points out, are continuing to grow at a rapid pace, due to employers viewing employees’ time as indispensable.
So, work and freedom do go hand-in-hand. One could argue there’s less freedom and more work with the flexibility of working from home. This leads to increased burnout and less flexibility in the long run for many employees. However, one could also argue that this could teach corporations valuable lessons in time management per se. Case in point, it could force corporations to set boundaries and encourage employees to log out during evenings and weekends to refresh their internal batteries.
In a sense, I wonder how working from home could be considered freedom. Sure, we are able to work from home wearing jeans or pajamas. We can run errands or clean the house during downtimes.
Are we truly receiving freedom?
However, are we truly receiving freedom? This is ultimately where the lines are blurred. I believe true freedom comes from doing what we love and ultimately, it won’t be viewed so much as work.
What do you think about this article or my takeaways from the article? I would love to hear from you.
References:
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Work. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work.
Grant, A. (2021). “The Real Meaning of Freedom at Work.” The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-real-meaning-of-freedom-at-work-11633704877.