# Five Basic Questions By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-12-20 Early in schooling one encounters the five basic questions of who, what, when, where, and how. These questions help one to establish a general understanding of situations and context. These same questions are useful for analyzing one’s relationship to work. Which of the five, or what combination of the five, primarily influences one’s experience of work? The answer to that question is likely contingent on the individual and the specific situation. If one is unhappy with one’s current employment, interrogating each of the elements in turn can provide useful insight. An example of virtual work might be illuminating. If one is working virtually, it is doubtful that “who” plays a major part in one’s assessment of work, as there is likely a buffer between oneself and one’s colleagues. If one is engaged in a profession of one’s selection and still finds the content interesting, then “what” is probably only a minor contributor at most as well. Again, with a virtual work environment, there is often a great deal of flexibility associated with “when” one works, so this isn’t likely a player. As for “where,” virtual work is conducted in the comfort of one’s home or at a coffeehouse, so this probably distracts little from the quality of experience. This leaves us with “how” as the major suspect in the quality of virtual work. How one engages with work is a physical-psychological phenomenon. This aspect can “make or break” one’s experience with virtual work. As such, determining the attributes that can transform the how from drudgery to fulfillment is important. Notions of authenticity and autonomy are potentially important factors in how one approaches work. Through an examination of these five basic questions, one can quickly identify the elements which are enhancing or constraining one’s enjoyment of work. Addressing those elements will likely take some time but understanding them more clearly is an essential first step in the process. There is a sixth question “why.” Answering that question is far from basic. #### Related Items [[Questions]] [[Work]] [[Thinking]] [[Authenticity]] [[Self-Actualization]]