Have you ever been asked at a social event ‘What do you do for a living?’ Chances are it’s a yes.
We are often identified for what we do (our profession) versus who we are as individuals. Your level of success is often associated with your job title or status in the organization, as opposed to recognizing your individuality, personal strengths, and contributions to society.
Defining ourselves, or others, by what they do versus who they are can misrepresent our values and definition of success, leading to dissatisfaction in life and burnout.
A Profession is not a personality
The following articles provide some insight into this topic and whether it be your title or your job performance, reducing yourself to a single characteristic can be a deeply damaging act.
- The Atlantic: ‘A Profession is not a personality’
- Harvard Business Review: ‘What Happens When Your Career Becomes Your Whole Identity’
Burnout
Burnout is real and can be very damaging to our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing limiting our ability to think creatively and critically. In this CBC News video, Canadian author and workplace expert Rahaf Harfoush describes the pressures in the modern workplace are distorting our identities by often placing success at work at the expense of mental and physical well-being.
Rahaf published her third book, entitled “Hustle & Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work,” in 2019, and has been featured by Bloomberg, The CBC, CTV, and Forbes for her work on workplace culture.
UBC Thrive
November is Thrive month, an annual campaign that focuses on support mental health at UBC, where you can get access to resources, support, forums and more. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing burnout, please seek support and develop strategies that can help you cope with stress.
For more information and resources, visit the Thrive website.