My Workview

This quarter, I'm taking this rather interesting class called "Designing the Professional". Full course description here:

ENGR 311B: Designing the Professional

How to Get a Life as well as a PhD: Seminar open to ALL doctoral students (Humanities, Sciences and Engineering). Apply principles of design thinking to designing your professional life following Stanford. Topics include: Introduction to "design thinking", a framework for vocational wayfinding and locating profession within life overall; tools to investigate multiple professional paths. Creation of personal "Odyssey Plan" to innovate multiple prototypes for post-PhD professional launch.

Terms: Spr | Units: 1 | Repeatable for credit | Grading: Satisfactory/No Credit

Instructors: Evans, D. (PI) ; Sheppard, S. (PI)

So far, it's been fairly thought-provoking. To document these thoughts, I felt that it would make sense to blog my assignments here - otherwise, I'll probably lose them by next quarter. The assignments might also be of us of readers who are interested in thinking about their "work-life". Hopefully Dave won't sue me for copyright infringement on his homework. Here's the first assignment:

Write your Workview (150 words - or so)

A workview would address the critical issues related to what work is and means to you. It is not just a list of what you want from or out of work, but a general statement of your view of work. Schumacher's definition of a "theory of work" is one example.  A workview may address such questions as:

• Why work?
• What's work for?
• What's it mean?
• How does it relate to the individual, others, society?
• What defines good or worthwhile work?
• What does money have to do with it?
• What does experience, growth, fulfillment have to do with it?
• Does a PhD have a special form or work, and if so how?

What we're after is your philosophy of work - what it's for,  what it means.  It's essentially your work manifesto.  When using the term "work" we mean the broadest definition - not just what you do to make money or for "a job".  Work is your active engagement with the world and can extend well beyond a narrow definition of job or labor or even career.  Work is the largest single component of most people's waking lives.  Over a lifetime it occupies more of our attention and energy than any other single category.  Accordingly we're suggesting you take the time and reflection to articulate what work and vocation mean to you (and perhaps what you hope it means for others as well).

People's workviews range widely in what they address and how widely they incorporate issues related to service, others, the world, standard of living, growth, learning, skills/talents, etc.  We want you to address what you think is important (i.e., the questions listed above).  While not prescribing that you address the question of service to others/the world or explicit connection to social issues or your higher values, we do findthat we concur with Martin Seligman (who you're reading this week).  He found that the people who do make an explicit connection between their understanding of work in general, and a job or role in particular, are more likely to find satisfaction and meaning in their work and are more enabled to adapt to the inevitable stresses and compromises that come with being engaged in the world.  Since satisfaction and meaning-making are things most of our students tell us they long for, we encourage you to explore those questions.

My Response

We each find meaning in our lives in different ways. For me, I derive meaning from my relationships with those close to me, and the work that I do. Work is not merely any activity that I do, but one that demands commitment, requires sustained effort and comes with a certain set of responsibilities. My criteria of good work is inspired by the neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield, who in considering possible careers, measured them up against the following criterion – “to support myself and my family, and somehow make the world a better place in which to live”.  I read his autobiography in college, and this simple criterion has stuck with me since. Financial remuneration is important to me for two reasons: (i) it is external validation that my work is valued, and (ii) it provides me with the means to support me and my family. It does not have to be much, but it should be enough to provide my children with the comforts and opportunities that I had growing up. In addition, good work should make a positive, concrete contribution to society.

Given the philosophy of work described above, I try to see my time as a PhD student as a career and a calling. However, this can be burdensome during the times when career prospects seem bleak or when the work does not feel meaningful. During those times, I consciously switch to thinking of my PhD as a job, and that helps me get through the day. That said, the switch feels like holding my breath under water – I can only do it for that long before having to resurface to breathe again.