How redefining Work transformed my Life

During my teenage years and early youth I always believed that I was a lazy person, although this idea that was present in my mind came externally, since I did not really consider this to be true.

Although I had various interests since I was little, such as reading, traveling, geography and history, I dedicated the first years of autonomy to behave in a way that was in accordance with how I believed myself to be. That is, to ignore everything, to want to do things but never carry them out and to trust in the opinions of others without questioning whether it was something that I necessarily agreed with.

It was when I became independent and especially when I decided to know myself and investigate what happens in the mind (why we think what we think and how the mind is dispersed in things of the past and the future), the moment in which I realized that I am not at all lazy.

At least what I define as someone lazy (without interests or the desire to do things that require some sort of effort). The concept of work has changed over the centuries; from being hunters to gatherers, to having a shoe manufacturing business, to working in a factory, and finally to being an employee in a multinational with a set schedule of 9–5 (for a large majority it is usually always more, since spending time at the office desk is synonymous with productivity).

Thanks to the fact that I am learning to think about what happens in my mind, and what society has imposed on us, like many other people in the world, I am realizing that the concept of work can be absolutely different from how we see it in the capitalist and global world of the 21st century. Does dedicating one’s day to pursuing personal interests and exploring new ones mean that a person is lazy and unproductive?

In my case, I find myself much more productive now that I dedicate my time — any hour from Monday to Sunday — to creating something that is truly mine, whether or not it becomes a business in the future. I also focus on practicing the activities I enjoy, far more than when I worked in an office. I recognize that I speak from a fortunate position as someone who grew up in a developed country with access to free education and healthcare (or more accurately, funded by taxes). I’m not suggesting that everyone has this opportunity, but I didn’t arrive here by doing nothing. Like most people, I studied, worked, and trained for years to get to this point.

Now that I have the chance to reflect on what I want to do, I realize I’m far more productive than I used to be. When I worked various hospitality jobs with shifting hours — mornings, afternoons, and weekends — all I wanted to do in my free time was go out, party, and sleep. Even when I finally landed the ‘dream’ job with a Monday to Friday, 9–5 schedule, my primary desire was to spend my free time outdoors, engaging in activities with others, enjoying the weather, and maybe getting some exercise. I’m not saying any of those things are bad. Of course, we live in a world where horrible events happen daily, and many people don’t even consider these ideas because they’re preoccupied with crucial matters like finding their next meal or paying bills.

Perhaps for this very reason, those of us who are privileged enough to have our basic needs met should take a closer look at both our surroundings — the consumerist, individualistic society we live in — and our inner selves, which are often consumed by the superficial problems that the media and capitalism would have us believe are important.

That said, for me, work now means spending my day learning more about the things I enjoy, which doesn’t make them any less challenging. In a typical week, I might study programming, graphic design, and video editing; cook; read; clean; walk; meditate; swim; and engage in many other activities. Perhaps 90% of this work isn’t paid, but that doesn’t mean I’m not working hard, both mentally and physically.