Help people become more of who they are
People dreading work, ways to find meaning, and this week's recommendations
Today’s dispatch draws from a few recent LinkedIn posts I’ve created, on the topic of work, meaning, and dread. Not everyone that follows me here is on LinkedIn, and vice versa, so this is a way of sharing in both directions.
Work and workplaces should be designed to help people become more of who they are, more of who they want to be.
At its best (at our best), work is a path toward growth, transformation, and fulfillment of our humanity—not simply a means for producing widgets, increasing stockholder value, and passing time.
That's not to say that work is or can always be idyllic. But, over time, if the work and the workplace is taking more than it's giving, something has gone wrong.
87% of employees say they feel a sense of dread at least once a month.
49% of employees say they feel dread at least once a week.
It's even higher in leadership.
55% of executives feel dread at least once a week. 59% of CEOs feel dread at least once a week.
This is all from a recent Headspace / Headspace Health survey of 4,050 employees and 426 CEOs from Australia, Germany, the UK, and the US.
And the reality, in large part, isn't pretty. People are struggling.
…if the work and the workplace is taking more than it's giving, something has gone wrong.
The number one driver of dread? It's actually a tie between...
lack of stability creating a constant feeling of unpredictability
being overwhelmed by expectations to take on more and more responsibility
Headspace recommends (and I wholeheartedly agree), there are (at least) five things you can do to reduce dread for yourself and your team...
Create role clarity, outline responsibilities, and allow for flexibility
Consistently talk about the "why" behind the work (and the changes)
Practice "ruthless prioritization"
Control what's within your control
Flex daily self-compassion
One more thing I'd add: seek out meaning, connection, and fun outside work. When work because the sole focus of our time, attention, and the thing we derive our worth/value from, we're setting ourselves up for more dread.
Podcasts
The Loudest Girl in the World, “1 - Talking: A Love Story.” An entertaining, honest, illuminating series about one person’s experience with autism, neurodiversity, and relationships. I’m not quite finished yet (all 14 episodes released in 2022), but I have enjoyed listening and will finish it this summer.
Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell, “The Pushkin Prize for Egregiously Deceptive Self-Promotion.” Gladwell continues his entertaining and incisive takedown of the college rankings (and the schools who game the system).
1619, “Episode 1: The Fight for a True Democracy.” This was a relisten for me over the weekend, as we head into Juneteenth celebrations and recognition. I still recommend the full podcast series (or the book or TV docuseries).
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd, “Natalie Portman Returns.” Really appreciated her perspectives on women’s sports (she co-owns a soccer team in LA), and hearing about some of her experience in film.
To Check Out
Audiobook: Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. A really interesting and multi-faceted look at addictions, emotions, technology, relationships, pleasure, and pain.
Audiobook: Of Mice and Men. It’s one of my favorite books, so this was a re-read/listen. The audiobook is done entirely by Gary Sinise, who starred in the film version alongside John Malkovich, which I also recommend.
Documentary: Louis Armstrong’s Black and Blues (Apple TV+). We watched this on Friday night. An enlightening blend of biography, music, and the man beyond the icon that made jazz what it is today.
YouTube Short from Hank Green: “Your brain has no idea where your organs are.”
Article: In a major win for tribal sovereignty, Supreme Court upholds Indian Child Welfare Act. Going back to a podcast recommendation from the last dispatch (“The Supreme Court v. Peyote.”), this is a notable win for native nations – and it wasn’t close, with a 7-2 decision.
This dispatch was written to music, including the 2011 album “The King is Dead” by The Decemberists.