As I write this, my hands are shaky, my back is achy, and my rotator cuff on the right side is downright cranky. The rest of me — surprise! — is enjoying a great feeling of accomplishment.
What gives?
Snow shoveling, that’s what.
I spent the last hour working like a maniac to clear my driveway and walkways of snow. It was back-bending work, but I was reminded all over again that snow shoveling is the worst job I’ve ever loved.
Why do I find it so satisfying?
For starters, it’s challenging but not impossible. You have all the skills and the tools you need. You know you’ll have to work hard, but in most cases, heart permitting, you know you’ll get the job done.
You start with a clear goal. You can see in your mind that snow-free driveway, perhaps flanked by a few envious neighbors whose own driveways remain covered.
There are no rules or procedures. Nor is there a hovering boss to tell you how it’s done. Heck, you can shovel in figure eights if you want. I favor the two-shovel approach, which might be why my lumbar region hates me right now. Chances are you’ll figure out the most efficient path pretty quickly.
You get results as you go. You can see them accruing with every push and heave of the shovel. At the halfway point, you can lean on your shovel, admire your progress, and take in a few deep breaths of ego-inflating satisfaction.
There are meaningful perks. You get some serious exercise, you spend time in the great outdoors, and (in my case) you make your wife very happy because she can pull into a newly cleared driveway when she arrives home from work.
Come to think of it, snow shoveling has all the ingredients of an ideal job: a positive tension between challenge and doability, an easy-to-picture goal, complete freedom in deciding how to get the job done, the chance to see incremental results followed by big results at the end, and a few nontrivial perks.
I’m not saying I want to shovel snow all the time. Nor am I saying that I hope we set new snowfall records tonight. Nor am I offering my services as a freelance snow remover.
But it’s worth asking: Are there ways we can reshape our work and workplaces to make our everyday jobs so satisfying?
5 responses so far ↓
Sarah Meadows // February 10, 2010 at 11:41 am |
It’s the concreteness of physical tasks that I find so satisfying – gardening, painting a room, or shoveling snow. When we work on less tangble projects, how can we translate those conrete markers of progress?
Cal Holt // February 10, 2010 at 12:34 pm |
Shoveling snow is probably most youngsters first introduction to the business world. I remember how gratifying as a kid to grab the old scoop shovel we used for coal (yes coal shovel, don’t recall “snow” shovels back then) and heading out to do sidewalks.There weren’t driveways in my neighborhood. Boy when I came home with 20-30 bucks I thought I was rich. Those are good memories, and I didn’t have to pushed to do it. I enjoyed sledding but deep snow meant opportunity to me. Nowadays my health will not allow me to do this simple pleasure. I have to use a snowblower or one of my boys does it. Pleasure because I agree with Tom regarding the sense of accomplishment as well. Thanks Tom, for conjuring up those memories.
Corrie Ann // February 10, 2010 at 2:03 pm |
I agree with Sarah, having a tangible outcome definitely inspires me to complete a task. When I work on theoretical task, or things driven by an external factor (a boss), I find no pleasure in getting to an end result, especially if there is nothing to physically show for my hard work. Your message today helped to realize that some rethinking of my work is in order…focused on tangible outcomes that impact others. Thanks.
Jill // February 17, 2010 at 9:39 pm |
Loved the brief on snow shoveling and I’d include doing laundry as well. Why? Well all of the reasons above and it’s a task that you can start and complete! I ask you, how many things at work can you actually start and finish in the same day?
Keep the articles coming!
Jill
John // March 2, 2010 at 9:22 pm |
Wonderful!
Imagine a workplace where everyone chooses to bring energy, passion, and a positive attitude with them every day. Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market does just that. “FiSH!
Imagine a workplace where everyone chooses to bring energy, passion, and a positive attitude with them every day. Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market does just that. “Fish!” is the video they produced which reveals how that is accomplished and how any organization can do the same.