“I can't call a person a hard worker just because I hear they read and write, even if working at it all night. Until I know what a person is working for, I can't deem them industrious. … I can if the end they work for is their own ruling principle, having it be and remain in constant harmony with Nature.”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 4.4.41;43
May 30, 2021 7:00 AM
I wonder if I would have learned these lessons from Epictetus when I was in high school. Hundreds of years later, we are still making assumptions that the hardest workers are in the office longer.
A wise person would say the best worker is the most efficient. While efficiency is at a high, many are not working smarter.
It is time to ask the three "W's". What, why, and where. What are you doing? Why are you doing what you are doing? Where is your job/career leading you?
Conclusion
Your answers should provide you with a sense of accomplishment and if not, you should stop and re-evaluate what you are doing.