Work and its benefits

The value of being a good worker and its benefits

When I was growing up there was never a need to use the word  bored. You were always kept busy doing the little jobs you were capable of doing, from jobs around the house, to farmyard chores. My mother use to say “you can have all the brains and talents in the world, but if you are not a good worker you will never succeed”

A good worker is a valuable person in any organisation. You are only in a job an hour or less, when you will be recognised as a good worker or a slacker.

Parents now think it is their duty to give their children everything they possibly can, things that they never enjoyed when they were young. Firstly they were not available and secondly the great outdoors was all that you needed to enjoy every day. Some children are not asked to do any chores, but are allowed to spend their time on their mobile phones or computers. Parents try to compensate for the time they must spend at work rather than in the home. Both parents must work to pay the escalating bills and debts, that threaten family interaction. The effects of these actions on both parents and children are negative and are becoming a real problem. Consider some of the following points and maybe you can make some good changes in your life which will affect the rest of your life.

Society is telling us that there are so many fun things to have. The media tells us that to be happy we must have it all, big houses, big cars, ostentatious living. We must have it now, as immediate gratification is the new buzz word. Parents are getting sucked into this. This means that more parents must spend every day in the work place instead of with their families.

Who, then, is taking care of their children? Either day care facilities or, if children are old enough, nobody. Either way, children are not being nurtured in the home as much as they need to be. Parents should remember that their love for their children cannot be bought and have the most value.  Parents often feel that it is a necessity to provide name-brand clothes, cell phones, game systems, entertainment systems, and what-not, all at the expense of spending communication with their children.  No time to teach them values in the home, or to show their children love, qualities that will last a lifetime. If you can recognize some of your own experiences in this description, think about changing it.

Work is an essential principle, it has an amazing influence how we live and think about life. The laws of nature say that you cannot have something for nothing. “You must earn your bread by the sweat of your brow” was an old valued rule. However, society is telling you that this is not true. We are encouraged to think that we are entitled to whatever we want with no thought of working for it, or who is providing your daily bread. This is the very mindset which has driven the world’s economy to its knees. There is more than honesty involved in the principle of work. It is a fact that after you have earned your own money you value it more. You know how much work and effort it has taken to earn a certain amount of money. Once you, yourself, have put the work in, you will not be so likely to spend your money on frivolous things. You will learn that you cannot have everything and you will learn to set your own priorities. This principle should be taught to children from an early age, and if they want pocket money they must contribute to the family resources.

The value of hard work is one of the most valuable and essential lessons that parents teach their children. However, do not think that it is too late for you to learn the value of work if you have not been taught it in your home. If you get a part-time job, and are allowed to spend all your money on the extras for yourself that is a bad start in life. All earners living at home should be asked to contribute, even a small amount to the “kitty” in the house. Young adults will begin to appreciate more the things that they enjoy in living at home, and be much happier to know that they are contributing. The satisfaction that comes from earning your own way is indescribable.

This does not mean that you should drop out of school to work, or have studies interrupted, because education is also very important. The satisfaction of a job well done applies to far more than just earning money but of getting experience of things that matter in life, like being careful with your money, learning new skills and developing integrity, honesty and commitment. If you have a good work ethic, that principle will be applied to whatever you undertake, whether that is a job, school work, personal projects, or helping those around you.

Learning the value of hard work early in life will help you shape the rest of your future. Appreciation for what you have and for what others have done for you can only come by working yourself. Parents certainly have the responsibility for providing the basic necessities of life for their children. Many would argue that parents also have a responsibility to provide a stress free life for their children, but children will never fully appreciate the sacrifices their parents have made for them until they learn to work themselves.

The value of work does not necessarily have to be learned through a formal job. Children can be given responsibilities around the home to work for allowances or privileges.

The principle of the matter is that you are not given everything for nothing. Your work ethic is something you will carry with you throughout your entire life and will affect nearly every aspect of your life. If you want to be truly happy, then you need to make sure you have a good work ethic. Every employer wants a worker who is reliable, honest, flexible and capable. By always being busy and productive will give you the edge over those who are unable to work and will be noticed by both bosses and peers.

People will never know how much history or geography you know, but it only takes a short while to recognise a good worker. A good boss will recognise that maturity comes from years of life and work experience and makes for workers who get less “rattled” when problems occur.  Setting an example for other employees is an intangible value many business owners appreciate. Older workers make excellent mentors and role models, which makes training other employees less difficult.  Knowing when and how to communicate–evolve through years of experience. Older workers understand workplace politics and know how to diplomatically convey their ideas to the boss. So always consider yourself lucky if you have an older person lead the way while you are learning the tricks of the trade.  Organizational skills among older workers mean employers who hire them are less likely to be a part of this startling statistic that more than a million man hours are lost each year simply due to workplace disorganization. Being efficient and the confidence to share their recommendations and ideas, make older workers give good example to younger inexperienced workers. Their years of experience in the workplace give them a superior understanding of how jobs can be done more efficiently, which saves companies money. Their confidence, built up through the years, means they won’t hesitate to share their ideas with management or peers. Pride in a job well done has become an increasingly rare commodity among younger employees. Younger workers want to put in their time at work and leave, while older employees are more willingly to stay later to get a job done because of their sense of pride in the final product. These are all the benefits you can learn and become a valuable cog in the wheel of any workforce.

Peg Hanafin MSc.

Author of; Getting more out of life,

Thoughts for your journey,

Never give up,

I wish I had known.