The startup scene and freelance trend are slowly transforming the conventional work culture. But 9-6 work life is still here to stay for years to come by. So, if you’re living the 9-6 work life or heading there soon, here’s a strategy for you.
1. Self-expression is a need, not a hobby
Science is how we live, art is why we live
That’s why Oscars commands more attention from the public although Nobel Prize weighs more to our civilization. Understanding this, we’ll see that working for money is no different than being a slave. Money helps us survive but doesn’t fulfil our artistic needs.
Hence, the Flow strategy is about humanizing our work process. To make it an artistic process. The essence of art is self-expression. When we see a vintage painting work, we always ask if it’s a Van Gogh or Picasso but not the title of the painting. Each art craft represents its creator.
This relates to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. At the top of the well-known diagram is self-actualization. To express ourselves is a need, not a hobby. That’s why ‘customized XX’ is the buzzword of the day - from customized Subway to Facebook news feed.
These mean we should learn to see work as an avenue to self-actualize, which is a key tenet of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. We love to talk than listen because we want our voice to be heard. But a voice isn’t the only channel to express ourselves. Anything that comes out of our physical or mental efforts is a medium to project our individuality.
That’s why the adage - do what you love and love what you do. We want to do something we’re good at because it’s part of our identity.
2. No activity is intrinsically boring or fun
Do you like playing golf?
‘It’s for the old chaps’ you may say, but some may argue it’s one of the most elegant sports.
Why would there be polarized views on a single activity? Because one side sees and appreciates the beauty of it while the other doesn’t.
That said, whether an activity is boring or fun depends on whether or not we’re riding on the flow an activity entails.
Boredom doesn’t doom us but it glooms us. Imagine having the radio break down when your Grabshare ride, full of passengers, is trapped in a massive jam. It’s not even close to a near-death experience but it’s no less dreadful.
This is why many dread workplace - it’s boring. But our work only feels tedious when we’re thinking about it, not when we’re doing it. Judgment is the villain. They cloud us from the intrinsic pleasure of an activity.
The writing chores we had at school had conditioned many of us to loathe writing. The fallout is many of us get disgusted by default when facing any task involving writing. Their mind labels a writing task as menial even before they have a hand on it. The label then becomes their reality. In psychology, we call it ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
The first step is to be aware of the devil in our head - the judgemental mind. Forgive yourself for having the judgement, it’s just a product of your previous experiences. Focus your psychic energy on finding out the beauty hidden in each activity instead of giving it to the judgements. What we focus on grows.
Bear in mind that the first step is never easy - the water needs energy to generate a flow too. Keep going on, the flow will find their way to us.
Takeaways
1. The day when you need to go to bed hungry is long gone. Self-expression is now a need, not a fantasy. Work is a platform to cement your self-identity.
2. Our brain helps us make the impossible possible but it also sabotages us day-to-day. Let go of judgements, delve into action. It can feel vulnerable but it’ll be rewarding.
Wish you a breezy 9-6 life! Cheers.
1. Self-expression is a need, not a hobby
Science is how we live, art is why we live
That’s why Oscars commands more attention from the public although Nobel Prize weighs more to our civilization. Understanding this, we’ll see that working for money is no different than being a slave. Money helps us survive but doesn’t fulfil our artistic needs.
Hence, the Flow strategy is about humanizing our work process. To make it an artistic process. The essence of art is self-expression. When we see a vintage painting work, we always ask if it’s a Van Gogh or Picasso but not the title of the painting. Each art craft represents its creator.
This relates to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. At the top of the well-known diagram is self-actualization. To express ourselves is a need, not a hobby. That’s why ‘customized XX’ is the buzzword of the day - from customized Subway to Facebook news feed.
These mean we should learn to see work as an avenue to self-actualize, which is a key tenet of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. We love to talk than listen because we want our voice to be heard. But a voice isn’t the only channel to express ourselves. Anything that comes out of our physical or mental efforts is a medium to project our individuality.
That’s why the adage - do what you love and love what you do. We want to do something we’re good at because it’s part of our identity.
2. No activity is intrinsically boring or fun
Do you like playing golf?
‘It’s for the old chaps’ you may say, but some may argue it’s one of the most elegant sports.
Why would there be polarized views on a single activity? Because one side sees and appreciates the beauty of it while the other doesn’t.
That said, whether an activity is boring or fun depends on whether or not we’re riding on the flow an activity entails.
Boredom doesn’t doom us but it glooms us. Imagine having the radio break down when your Grabshare ride, full of passengers, is trapped in a massive jam. It’s not even close to a near-death experience but it’s no less dreadful.
This is why many dread workplace - it’s boring. But our work only feels tedious when we’re thinking about it, not when we’re doing it. Judgment is the villain. They cloud us from the intrinsic pleasure of an activity.
The writing chores we had at school had conditioned many of us to loathe writing. The fallout is many of us get disgusted by default when facing any task involving writing. Their mind labels a writing task as menial even before they have a hand on it. The label then becomes their reality. In psychology, we call it ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
The first step is to be aware of the devil in our head - the judgemental mind. Forgive yourself for having the judgement, it’s just a product of your previous experiences. Focus your psychic energy on finding out the beauty hidden in each activity instead of giving it to the judgements. What we focus on grows.
Bear in mind that the first step is never easy - the water needs energy to generate a flow too. Keep going on, the flow will find their way to us.
Takeaways
1. The day when you need to go to bed hungry is long gone. Self-expression is now a need, not a fantasy. Work is a platform to cement your self-identity.
2. Our brain helps us make the impossible possible but it also sabotages us day-to-day. Let go of judgements, delve into action. It can feel vulnerable but it’ll be rewarding.
Wish you a breezy 9-6 life! Cheers.