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Writer's pictureMelanie Reinersman

Working for a Purpose: Strive to Banish Meaningless Activities

Updated: May 27, 2020

Watching a four-year old play, with an educator’s eyes, it is fascinating to see the movements of the body and imagine the activity in the brain. I know the brain is totally in charge, making sure that the play is for the purpose of learning. If only our adult brains can do the same for us at work. This is where intentionality comes in so as to not fill our days with meaningless activities. ~ David M. Reile, Ph.D.



FOCUS ON: Making Decisions with a Purpose

Unconscious decisions are knee-jerk reactions controlled by everyday biases. While biases can take advantage of mental shortcuts and occasionally lead to efficient decisions, more valuable information is being ignored. People who want to make well-thought out purposeful decisions may need to learn to overcome biases involving availability, confirmation, and confidence. Read more on FastCompany.


JOB SEARCHING: Changing the Game

If your goal is to thrive at work (not just survive), then your job search must include these three hints for getting a purpose-driven job. Knowing where to look may be the easy part, but matching missions and standing out are the only ways to leave behind meaningless work. Read more at CareerRealism.


YOUR LIBRARY: The Defining Decade

Author and clinical psychologist Meg Jay wrote “The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter – and How to Make the Most of Them Now” because those years are very important in an young person’s adult life. Jay aims to help twenty-somethings “realize that my 20s are really the time to make my own certainty, and to make sure that yes, my life is going to work out because I’m starting to put the pieces together in an intentional way.” In her book, Jay shares the questions she asks these young adults, even though no one else asks “20-somethings because they know it scares them. But deep down, 20-somethings want people to ask them these questions because they know they need to figure it out.” Use Jay’s book to help your client figure out their purpose and then work for it. Read the interview with the author at npr.org


TOP TEN: Principles for Identifying Your Purpose

“Bold Immersion” and “Think Like an Entrepreneur” are just two of the ten principles for identifying purpose and taking action. Read all ten to see what can lead to world-changing careers.


ENCORE CAREERS: Creating Meaning in Retirement

If retirees are not just looking for a paycheck, they may need help in finding purpose, passion, and a reason to get out of bed each day. Exploring the options and sampling what others have done, can help launch an encore career that has a purpose. Read more in Career Convergence.


QUOTES

Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing. - Thomas A. Edison
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. - Peter F. Drucker

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