Speaking of integrative – perhaps it is worth meditation on not splitting home and work, but rather a holistic approach to your craft that is a seamless and fluid combination of “work” and “non work”. I am consciously going down this path this year – there is no work vs non work, but rather, there is only the main thought of how I want to spend the time I have to use the gifts I have to realize a good/rich/meaningful life for myself. (I might blog about this too…)I was writing an email to my friend Natalie Shell recently. We were talking about how to split work life and home life. My thoughts at 4am in the morning started off something like this:
Perhaps it is worth meditation on not “splitting” home life and work life, but rather a holistic approach to your craft that is a seamless and fluid combination of “work” and “non work”.
I like craft as a concept. I am a craftsperson. I practice my craft – that of engaging with people, solving problems, creating new things… What I do is a part of what makes me tick; it gives my life meaning and fulfilment. I think about my craft most of the time, like many people would their favourite hobby. Unlike a “job”, I can’t see myself getting bored with it. My craft has infinite scope for expansion and evolution because it is part of my life, and it incorporates my interests, passions and dreams.
Vocation is a good word too. It is a calling, “a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career” [dictionary.com], and if you are that way inclined, you can add a divine touch to it also. In other words, it is more than “a job”, it is more than mere “work”.
I am consciously attempting to going down this path in 2007 in how I approach my life – there is no “work” vs “non-work”; but rather, there is only the conscious choices that will enable me to spend the time I have in leveraging my gifts in order to realise a good/rich/meaningful life for myself. Or simply – how can I design a good/rich/meaningful life?!
I’ll report back when the year’s up.
