Happy International Labour Day!

Today, May 1st is International Labour Day, also known as May Day, or International Worker’s Day. While it’s not celebrated here in Canada (or Labour Day’s in September), it is in my home country, India and many others around the world. What better day to write about work? I’ve been working full-time for about 7 years now, though my working journey started as an 18-year-old back in 2008. It’s been quite a journey starting in Accounting, moving to Sports Journalism, then a few solid years in Market Research, and now deviating off the research path just a bit into Project Management. Like every journey, there’s been ups and downs, and I’ve moved around a fair bit between companies as well as locations, Toronto is the 5th city I’ve worked in.

My attitude towards work has also changed over the years. When I just started, work was pretty much everything for me. I was very conscious of how I was seen at work, how my work was received, and where I wanted to be in terms of my career. Working in Dubai and India is pretty hectic and unhealthy, with the employee being treated like a commodity in most cases. It’s not uncommon to work an average of 10 hour days, and the occasional weekend, but what’s worse is that it’s almost become the norm, and I found myself being sucked into that norm too, leaving no time for any kind of life outside of work. When you realize that all that effort is ultimately going into boosting someone else’s profits, it’s quite dispiriting and demoralizing. Moving to Canada changed my outlook towards work. For starters, I’ve become less conscious of the kind of work I do. It’s easier here where there’s less intrusion into your private life, or maybe it’s because I don’t know many people here and don’t have a ‘past’ to deal with or expectations to live up to. The work culture is much more focused on a work-life balance, something that doesn’t exist in India. Something that sticks with me is one of my former managers who upon being asked how he felt the work-life balance in the team could improve said, “I think it’s important to recognize that work is part of life”. Still gives me goosebumps (not the good kind) to this day! You feel rewarded and valued when your employer recognizes you as a human being and not just another cog in the machine.

I’m not sure if it’s just getting older, but I’m also not that fussed about my career anymore. It’s not like I don’t want to do well, I’d be doing myself a great disservice if I didn’t. But I’m not going crazy about it. Things will happen at their own pace, and I’ve also seen enough to realize that there’s more likely to be disappointments around the corner if your goals are too, for lack of a better word, intense. Money is important, but two things supersede that for me; the kind of work I’m doing, and the people I’m working with. I need to be doing something where I feel challenged, and I need to be surrounded by people who make me feel insecure, not cripplingly so, but just the right amount. Working with intelligent people motivates me to do better, and gives me something to aspire to, and pushes me to do my best rather than settle for mediocrity. The work culture is also so important to me now. I remember my first job in Market Research back in 2011 was in a toxic work environment, where the people in charge were lucky that most of us were young and in our first jobs because there’s no way I’d stand for a work environment like that today. All said and done, I think I’m much more at peace with myself now. There’s a lot I’d like to achieve in life, but unlike a few years ago, where most of those goals were related to work, I now see work as something that will help me achieve most of the other goals. In other words, a cash machine to supplement what I really want to do. Thank you for reading, and Happy Labour Day!