Recently, I was watching a friend’s preschool age boys. The oldest one was sitting at the table snacking as I ate a plate of spaghetti. He asked what I had and – just to get his reaction – I answered, “pasta”. He grinned, then promptly told me, “No, it’s ‘sketti!” We argued a few minutes before he finally shook his head at me and proceeded to eat his snack of mini cupcakes.
After a bit, I asked him if they were good cupcakes. He grinned, lifted his hand above the table then promptly smashed a cupcake. He then smirked and replied, “Nope, these are pancakes!”
What else could I do but chuckle? He had made a solid – if not somewhat messy- point. His snack definitely was more pancake than cupcake!
As I have thought about this incident, it has made me remember-again- that it really is our perspective on a job that makes the difference. Not everyone loves to write, or work with numbers, or design websites or manage social media. Depending on your interests and perspective, any one of these activities can feel like varying levels of work – or perhaps enjoyment.
Fortunately, we don’t all have to like the same things and can often hire out those tasks we find less than fun. Other times, we might have to simply look for ways to turn that basic “cupcake” into a unique -though perhaps messy -pancake. But, if we are able to find the joy in the activity, then that positive perspective can make even the most mundane job pleasurable.
As spring turns into summer and you find yourself looking for ways to make those long work days feel a bit less be sure to keep your outlook positive! It might not make the work disappear, but it will make getting the tasks accomplished more enjoyable. Of course, for those writing tasks or social media jobs that might seem impossible to face, why not talk to Write Away and learn how you can simplify your To Do list.
