Showing posts with label work. Show all posts

April 3 – Don't Go to Work Unless It's Fun Day

Posted on April 3, 2018

There is a book called Don't Go to Work Unless It's Fun, and author Frank Sanitate may have started the holiday as a way of publicizing his 1994 book.

I am not sure what points Sanitate makes in this book; if you are motivated to check it out, I cannot think of a better day to do so!!

But here is what I thought of, when I saw this holiday name:

A lot of jobs are really difficult, or exhausting, or dirty, or even boring - but also really important. So I do not want to urge people in difficult, exhausting, dirty, or boring jobs to quit or even to skip work today...

BUT, in any job, people can find a way to make the job at least somewhat fun. This might be a great day for bosses to try to brainstorm ways to do just that! And I would urge people who work in supposedly non-fun jobs to also brainstorm ways to make those jobs better and even, at moments, fun.

Of course, as important as some jobs are for all of society (like, we kind of need someone to collect trash!), jobs tend to be very important to the job holders, because doing those jobs is how they get money! So don't take today off just because it's Don't Go to Work Unless It's Fun Day, unless you know your boss is fine with that!

I often think how important it is for people to try to find work worth doing (to them), work they are good at (or can become good at), work they find fun. Young people should be exposed to eleven-ty thousand different sorts of subjects and activities and jobs and opportunities, and they should be encouraged to explore whatever makes their heart sing - because happiness with careers and work is an important part of happiness with life!

But I also think that, at least in modern "Western" society, the word "work" often gets a bad sort of rap, especially as it contrasts with the word "play." Here are some great quotes to make you think about the work / play dichotomy:

Also on this date:

National Tweed Day

Canada's Got Talent

Find a Rainbow, Share a Rainbow Day

World Party Day

Anniversary of the start of the Pony Express

Conservationist John Burroughs's birthday

Weed Out Hate: Sow the Seeds of Greatness Day

Anniversary of first flight over Mount Everest

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

January 13 – Poetry at Work Day

Posted on January 13, 2015

The people at Tweetspeak Poetry and Every Day Poems want people to be able to enjoy poetry every day, everywhere.

Poetry can refresh our minds as we go about our routine days, just as a drink of water or a short walk can refresh our bodies. Reading or writing short poems during work breaks can make us smile or think or feel. Reading poems about work can inspire us. Including a bit of poetry in our work can inspire others!

Maya Angelou

Here are some day jobs some poets have had:

T. S. Eliot – banker
Maya Angelou – singer
Pablo Neruda – diplomat
Robert Burns – farmer
Lin Huiyin – architect
W. B. Yeats – magician
Robert Frost – chicken farmer
A. E. Houseman – Patent Office clerk
Robin Morgan – child actor and journalist
Mina Loy – actor and designer of lamps
Jack Kerouac – railroad worker
William Carlos Williams – pediatrician

Here are some poems about work and workers:

I Hear America Singing,

by Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe
and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off
work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deck-
hand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing
as he stands,
The woodcutter's song, the ploughboy's on his way in the morn-
ing, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work,
or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young
fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Work

By Henry Van Dyke

Let me but do my work from day to day,
In field or forest, at the desk or loom,
In roaring market-place or tranquil room;
Let me but find it in my heart to say,
When vagrant wishes beckon me astray,
"This is my work; my blessing, not my doom;
"Of all who live, I am the one by whom
"This work can best be done in the right way."

Then shall I see it not too great, nor small,
To suit my spirit and to prove my powers;
Then shall I cheerful greet the labouring hours,
And cheerful turn, when the long shadows fall
At eventide, to play and love and rest,
Because I know for me my work is best.