# Enjoying Work By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-06-10 I remember hearing people say, “It isn’t supposed to be enjoyable. It’s called work. If it was enjoyable, they would call it play, and they wouldn’t pay you.” From this common cultural quote, I had the implicit expectation that work would not be enjoyable. Sadly, many work experiences conformed to this. Sometimes work would be fun, but that typically emerged because I was goofing off with friends. As I moved into more professional rules, there were more inherently enjoyable aspects of work. Doing work well was a source of satisfaction. What makes work enjoyable (or unenjoyable)? There are likely a multitude of factors. Whereas there are probably many, focusing on three is sufficient for a quick examination. The first element potentially is the task itself. Some tasks are perhaps more enjoyable to do than others. The second element is how an individual approaches work. A positive attitude can improve the situation; a negative attitude will not. Lastly, how the work is managed can make it enjoyable. So, task, person, and management each play a part in influencing the degree to which work is a source of joy or drudgery. Does it matter? Some people view work in transactional terms. It is merely a means to an end. Others look to work as a source of fulfillment. It is the site where they can actualize their unique talents and achieve something of value and (at least momentary) significance. There is a personal cost associated with just getting through work. Society seems more than willing to experience this cost. There is potential organizational benefit from determining how to make work enjoyable and fulfilling. Organizations that do will have a creative and engaged workforce. #### Related Items [[Work]] [[Joy]] [[Boredom]] [[People]] [[Organization]] [[Management]]