Seeking fulfillment in work-life? Connect, contribute, stretch, think big, and never over-plan! Rebecca’s story shows how ‘designing for good’ and ‘peace in the present’ are keys to an abundant work-life experience. Here are lessons from a 20-something graphic designer*:
- Stay Connected. For Rebecca, work-life has always been connected. Contrary to work and life being isolated from each other, anything that she does – walking in the park, working through a design problem, volunteering at a charity organization – influences everything else.
- Make a Contribution. One of the primary criteria Rebecca uses in making career choices is the flexibility to volunteer. Most recently, she helped re-brand and re-design for an organization that helps obese teenagers. She knows from her own experience that self-esteem is especially critical in teenage years, and making a small contribution can have a really big impact. Rebecca’s work-life fulfillment comes from her pro-bono design work (designing for good!) which is tied to an employer that gives her the flexibility to make a contribution beyond the company.
- Stretch, Learn, Grow, Solve. Rebecca’s sense of abundance also comes from the opportunity to learn constantly and to be challenged. She thinks of design as a way to solve problems and improve the world. For her, it’s about connecting to challenges that are greater than herself. It’s important to always be learning and growing. She says this opportunity to stretch is more important than compensation (don’t tell her current employer!), and she has made career choices that prove this commitment.
- Look for Possibilities on a Broad Scale. Rebecca grew up on a farm and when her high-school-age sister – who had never taken an interest caring for the animals – was considering a career as a vet tech Rebecca offered some constructive coaching. When we’re thinking of what we want to be, we shouldn’t just rely on what’s around us. Rebecca helped her sister to think bigger and instead of looking around at what she already knew in terms of potential professions – teacher, farmer, vet tech – she encouraged her to research other options and tap into her own best skills and interests (math, in her sister’s case). Today, her sister has been accepted to the Engineering program at a top-tier school and she’ll be much happier in her non-vet career. The lesson? Think big and coach others to do the same.
- Plan, But Not Too Much. The hardest part for Rebecca about envisioning her future is that she is seriously happy today. The best accomplishment would actually be more of the same. While she imagines evolving (house, kids, continued career growth), she is satisfied with her life just as it is. She is ready for what comes, but doesn’t feel the need to over-plan.
This peace in the present is surely the key to work-life abundance in the end.
*Based in Chicago, Rebecca is a UX designer with Networked Insights.
Would you like to tell your story? If so, let me know by emailing me at tbrower108@gmail.com. Why? One of the foundations of Bringing Work to Life is abundance: the idea that it is possible to find fulfillment, have it all, and avoid the trade-offs between work and life. After all, work and life aren’t separate things to be placed in containers, but part of an integrated whole of a satisfying life. Another foundation of Bringing Work to Life is the idea of multiple right answers. As we’re all seeking ways to bring work to life – and bring life to work – we can learn from each other’s unique solutions and stories. I’d love to learn about your story!
Tracy Brower is the author of Bring Work to Life by Bringing Life to Work: A Guide for Leaders and Organizations.