Why Do We Work?

When you hear the word “currency” what do you immediately picture? You’re probably thinking a nice, crisp, green dollar bill. For us, currency means money. Money is the means by which we survive. How we pay the bills, how we arrange our futures, and how we express ourselves through material objects. Most countries only have one recognized form of currency. However, there are 3 other “currencies” we’d like you to consider, time, enjoyment, and fulfillment.

1. Time: This is perhaps the most practical of the three. Time often goes hand in hand with money, but generally in the number of hours worked versus the number of hours spent in leisure. Without getting too morbidly philosophical, none of us really know how much time we have left. Now, there’s not a lot you can do other than live your life to the fullest, and often that means working a bit. Now if you have a job you love, why not also have a life you love? A life you love probably doesn’t even consider chores. So why not have all your chores, like grocery shopping and laundry, outsourced?
2. Enjoyment: This goes hand in hand with the idea of not doing your own chores anymore. How much enjoyment are you getting paid each week? Is it above or below the national industry standard? Of course, this is a somewhat impossible question to answer accurately, but enjoying life, finding happiness in the things and activities you love should be a part of your virtual paycheck.
3. Fulfillment: Is your day to day life meaningful? Do you feel that you are serving a greater purpose in your daily activities? Of course, someone has to crunch the numbers, but are you able to also give back to your community, or spend enough time with your kids? We often work over 40 hours a week, but to what end? Some might be perfectly satisfied with the life they’re living, can you say the same?

What are some other abstract resources you find important?