Because You Are More Than Your Job
When you meet someone new, especially in a professional setting, what is the first question you ask?
I would hazard a confident guess it is, "What do you do?"
This is our professional social default. We use it because we like to categorise people. However, in doing so, we prioritise professional utility over other important and interesting factors.
When we lead with work, we reinforce the idea that our identity is synonymous with our job title. It suggests that our value depends on our employment status or our productivity. For those of us pursuing sustainable productivity with a wellbeing-first mindset, this narrow focus is unhelpful.
We are more than our jobs.
Tying your sense of self too closely to your career is a risk to your wellbeing. If your work defines you, then a difficult day at the office becomes a threat to your entire identity. Cultivating interests outside of your professional life provides a necessary buffer. Hobbies and personal curiosities offer a space where you do not have to be productive or successful. They allow you to be a multidimensional person.
We can change the energy of our interactions by choosing different questions.
Here are a few ideas:
What are you really interested in at the moment?
What do you like to do?
What is keeping you busy outside of work?
What have you been reading or watching lately?
What are you looking forward to this week?
Next time you meet someone new, start with try of these questions and see where the conversation takes you.
