Fresh cut grass, corn on the cob, great barbecue, and one last chance to wear white… if you live in North America, Labor Day is for chilling.
That part’s been true since the holiday began: A day to recognize the hard-working labor class who built our society, and also a day to give them some much-needed rest.
But we now live in an age where you barely need a reason to take a break. Google any day of the year and there will be at least one group that has made it their holiday. If those groups don’t apply to you, most employers will pay you for taking a “Personal Day”.
What’s more, technology has radically altered the relationship workers once had with their employers. Where companies once expected your unquestioning loyalty toiling away on their assembly lines in exchange for a secure and steady paycheck, that pact is all but broken today. Companies grow and shrink all the time, so layoffs are built into production cycles. And no company stays on top for long. Because you can’t expect guaranteed job security from employers, they can’t realistically expect loyalty from you.
Nor should you want it any other way. The opportunities to make a a bigger difference, a better living, or more satisfying work are greater than ever. For a 19th century laborer to start his own business, he would have had to step away from the assembly line to meet backers, spend days traveling to vendors in other cities, and waste hundreds of dollars buying machines and hiring workers. Today all you need is internet access and an etsy or fiverr account.
So regardless of your title or legal status, your real position at your current company is, effectively, “contractor”. Your real employer is you. And your real career is whatever you make of it. Workers back then weren’t privileged enough to go own way, nor did they have the means of production to take the trip. We have both, and way more free time to boot.
I’m not saying slave away for 24 hours right now: this is a day to honor labor and all your hard work, take the rest that you need. But Labor Day also marks the beginning of a new quarter in the year. As your own employer, reflect on whether the fruits you’re enjoying is worth the labor you’re putting in. Celebrate and set new targets if yes, course correct if no, but please take some time to take charge of our work. You need it more than you likely know.
Plenty of days exist for chilling, only one commemorates hard work.
Use today to make our labor count.