What makes work meaningful? Many of us associate the word “work” with an activity that we engage in for the purpose of earning money. But regardless of whether someone is paid for their labor or not, work can be described as “an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to attain a purpose or outcome.” I once heard someone say that work is formed, not found. But what exactly gives work purpose is the question. Most people have adjusted to the idea that we must work in order to exist because of the way our society is set up.You must put forth a lot of effort if you want to put food on the table.

I grew up in an African family where my parents would assign chores to me and my siblings and hold them accountable if they did not complete them. I learned early on that effort has value since it leads to rewards. “Meaningful labor has indelibly many dimensions, just as life has many possibilities for meaning,” writes Andrea Veltman in her book. According to Veltman, work is meaningful when it accomplishes something beneficial or purposeful. This is one of the criteria she provides for what meaningful labor is. Personally, I agree with this since I always want to get something out of the work I do and I don’t see the point in exerting effort into something that doesn’t accomplish anything because it doesn’t give my life any further meaning.

Finding the most authentic and profound part of oneself can also result in meaningful work.When they put their money in a business or anything else that will eventually be profitable, most people regard their labor to be worthwhile. Helping people and resolving their difficulties can also be meaningful labor as a means of preserving humanity. If one has a job that does not result in any results, or more specifically, if one does not see any benefit to performing it, work may feel meaningless and difficult. When someone is engaged in a job they enjoy, it makes them feel so much better and contributes to long-term satisfaction. Since we spend nearly every waking hour at work or performing labor, it should be entertaining rather than draining. I can still clearly recall how difficult and traumatizing my second job was. I enjoyed my job in customer service, but the atmosphere was so unhealthy that I started crying almost every day when I left. I stayed because I hadn’t yet found another job, and I needed the money since I was saving for something.

That is why it is crucial to find fulfillment in our profession and establish a safe environment for everyone.While working is not a means of finding happiness but rather a way to support oneself and a family, some people find it fulfilling to work, while others set out to attain career fulfillment. Because people prefer to judge others based on the work they do, it is a form of self definition because when you introduce yourself and mention the type of work you do, the listener instinctively understands who you are as a person. And because it is done for their own self-definition or joy, that type of employment is essential for living well. When my work has a purpose in my life, I find it meaningful