The Meaning of Work

I wrote recently of what a struggle it is for me to work by myself in a bedroom office every day (I’m supposed to work only three days but I can’t seem to get enough hours in on any one day, so I seem to work four or five days). No one to brainstorm with or troubleshoot with or shoot the breeze with. Taking a job in London could mean feeling part of a team and part of an effort to effect change. I don’t get the feels in my current arrangement.

Well this week I got a considerable raise and my required time went from 3 days/week to 2.5 days/week. So I’m trying to decide if I really want to ramp up (a full-time job in London) or ramp down--be at peace with my current arrangement. This for me is an existential discussion about the meaning of work.

Ramp up = I still have hopes of building a third career as a change advocate (first was newspaper reporter, second was financial writer). This means commuting to a more significant job in London and maybe contributing in some small way to a turn in climate change politics.

Ramp down = Work is just a way to pay the bills. Working part-time in Belfast means I have time to volunteer once a week and, who knows, maybe join a golf club and learn to play golf.

Do I preference work and the potential rewards it could bring? Do I preference having a more well-rounded life? This is not an easy question. I guess if the right job came along--as opposed to a theoretical job--it would be a more concrete comparison. I was offered a job a few months ago. I liked the employer but not the position. They could come back with something more tempting. Who knows. In the meantime, I’m going to paint the hallway.
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