She’s starting school this week. Real school, too, no more pre-school. So I was tempted to give Catherine a few tips she can use for the rest of her working life.
But I won’t.
Don’t want to spoil her final days of carefree exploration. Not that she’d sit still for it. Just now she’d rather jump rope and chase lightning bugs. Besides, she’ll learn soon enough what it means to have responsibilities, deadlines and obligations.
Oh, her mom and I already expect her to tidy up her room and get ready for bed. But this week, baby Kay’s life will be dialed-up a notch. In kindergarten, unlike pre-school, she’ll be expected to keep track of her own pencils and crayons . . . and to produce them on command. So it begins.
Dads being dads, though, it’s hard to suppress a few thoughts as our youngest moves into the starting gate. Maybe I’ll put this column aside so she’ll have it a few years from now, after she has learned how to read but before she helps find a cure for cancer and negotiates world peace. (Not necessarily in that order.)
Today is, after all, Labor Day, when thoughts turn to the art of making a living. It’s a day when Everyman should ponder Montaigne’s observation that “each man , in some sort, exists in his work.” (And you are “man,” my daughter, no matter what the feminists say. See No. 7.)
So here goes, pumpkin–Dad’s 10 tips for surviving and thriving in the world of work:
No. 1: Show up. You may not be able to out-talk, out-count, out-write or out-dress the competition, but you can always show up. Preferably on time. And over time, you’ll be amazed at how many of your classmates/co-workers fail this elemental test. Your teachers/bosses will come to appreciate this habit of yours and rely on your constancy. If they don’t, they probably won’t be anybody’s teacher or boss for very long. So resist the urge to play hooky, even when you can get away with it.
No. 2: Work hard. Don’t cheat yourself by doing less than what you are capable of doing. This isn’t the same as “do your best” because nobody, by definition, does his or her best every day, every time. In fact, the perfectionists tend to get lost in details, miss the big picture and blow the assignment. Hard workers, on the other hand, pace their effort to match the size of the task. They get it done. They also make mistakes, which is nothing to brag about, but it’s why they put erasers on pencils and a “Corrections” column on page 3.
No. 3: Treat everyone you meet with respect, until and unless they prove unworthy of respect. When that happens, try to avoid them. Remember that the crossing guard and the hedge-trimmer work no less earnestly than the teacher and the principal . . . and that moms work the hardest of all. As you move up, don’t look down on those below. Next year, when you’re a seasoned 1st grader, remember what it was like to be new.
No. 4: Don’t rush to judgment about your classmates or your fellow workers. The smiling colleague who glad-hands on the first day may turn out to be no colleague at all. The shy one, the one who hangs back, may be the one whose friendship and support will matter most. It takes time, and quiet observation, to figure out who is who.
No. 5: Don’t give yourself away too quickly. Hold back, just a little, so you’re not talking when you should be listening. Then, when you have something solid to add, or when your opinion is sought, speak up strong and sure.
No. 6: Don’t be afraid of change, or of trying something unfamiliar that your teacher/boss has in mind for you. They may have spotted a potential you didn’t know you had or a skill that needs to be developed. Often what seems an inconvenience turns out to be opportunity . . . and maybe even a raise.
No. 7: Beware of those who try to make you dissatisfied with who and what you are. You deserve what your skill and effort earn you–no more, no less. Insist on your due, but have no patience with those who claim history owes you, or them, something more. History is there to be understood, not twisted into a club. Take quiet pride in the power of your femininity. Use it to your advantage when appropriate. (Ask your mother.) But don’t let anyone convince you that your chromosomes entitle you to a lower net or a higher score.
No. 8: Cooperate with the powers that be, but make up your own mind about what is right and wrong, worthwhile and silly. Someday you’ll have a teacher who believes in astrology or an MBA-prepared boss who keeps talking about “corporate synergy.” This, too, will pass. Then you can get on with your work.
No. 9: Be happy in your labors. If you’re not happy, see if you can reach a better understanding with your teacher/boss. If that doesn’t work, ask for a different teacher/boss. And if that doesn’t work, find a different school or company. Don’t let a bad situation fester. Being miserable is bad for you, your family and your classmates/co-workers. Then again, work is work. Don’t insist on being entertained.
No. 10: Work tends to pay back what you put into it, often with unexpected dividends. Good grades and ample pay are important rewards. So is the special satisfaction gained from doing well a job worth doing. May you, dear Catherine, never have to sacrifice one for the other.
More Top Picks Best Compression Vests For Sensory Needs
Now, pumpkin, where did we put those new crayons?