Work that Works

I'm indulging myself in some unhealthy food at McDonald's, Putra Heights — some Chicken McNuggets, a strawberry sundae and some iced lemon tea. Having washed down my food, I now have an hour to write a blog article before I pick up mum from the hairdresser.

It's particularly noisy here this Saturday afternoon, and certainly not conducive to me for writing any deep reflective pieces. The day has been dedicated to running errands; replenishing cleaning supplies and toiletries, settling miscellaneous matters online.

I'm feeling quite relaxed, though,  after completing most of my work yesterday. The overall mood is good, as everyone is anticipating the festive season ahead. I am also grateful that I had the opportunity to catch up with some old friends over the past weeks. And I certainly plan to do more of this in the coming year. 

Ever since the pandemic, my social engagements have dwindled. One of the drawbacks of working from home is the absence of after-hours interactions with colleagues. However, the physical isolation of WFH did not prevent me from chatting with colleagues over Teams. Over the last five years, I have become friendly with many of my overseas colleagues, occasionally bantering about the performance of our favourite football teams, sharing work experiences and recommending each other Netflix shows.

I told a junior colleague of mine who is uncertain about the future of his job that, over time, one finds that one ends up being recommended or recruited by friends, and so it is the network of friends that matters most in one's career. It has certainly been true in my case. I've switched jobs just to work with people I know well. The comradeship built from having fought many battles together is invaluable, and it carries on even when one is no longer working in the same company. 

Work is more fun when you are just 'hanging out with friends', rather than performing tasks that one is obligated to do, just to earn one's paycheck. Monetary rewards, at least for me, should never be the main objective for work. Rest assured, it will come as long as one does good work. So one should not worry too much about one's remuneration. 

Sometimes, intangible rewards like gaining a good reputation for delivering good work are more valuable than anything else. The people who know you well know what you are capable of. You will always be sought out when the right opportunity arises. 

The best CV is the one that is etched in the minds of the people you've worked with. A job is an opportunity to serve and help others. You could be taken advantage of, even purposely overlooked by management. Turn the other cheek. Wisely. Not out of timidity, but agility, because you see things before others do, and proceed to make the necessary adjustments. 

That way, you build wisdom and resilience, which will serve you well in the future. Every pain is an opportunity to distil knowledge, to strengthen character. That way, your work, no matter how hard, always works to your benefit.