The Reality of Invisible Labor
We all experience invisible labor,
and often these unseen tasks bring us down.
To eliminate this negative feeling, we tend to believe that we need to work harder, delegate tasks, or improve our productivity. We often don’t feel valued or appreciated at work.
That’s generally what we believe, right?
However, what if someone told you that the actual matter at hand might be quite different?
What if working harder at these unseen tasks isn’t necessarily the best solution? Why does this ongoing invisible labor still weigh you down?
If strenuous hard work was really the foolproof answer, wouldn’t our lives be free from these burdens?
Sometimes, we unconsciously adopt the mindset that life should be a struggle, that success can only come through perspiration, getting down and dirty. This, however, is quite a bleak perspective on life and there’s a better approach to be considered.
Why the Regular Approach to Invisible Labor Doesn’t Work
Let’s take a typical example that many could relate to: managing household chores alongside a full-time job.
You’ve been working all day, yet when you get home, you still have a mountain of unseen tasks awaiting you.
A familiar situation, isn’t it? Chances are, you know can kinda relate to this to a certain level. Frustration, exhaustion, and stress are all commonplace companions of this predicament.
Now, in our attempt to combat this problem, we resort to the only method drilled into our minds: dedicating more time and focus to solving it. Sleeping late? waking up early to clean… or something like that.
But here are a couple of drawbacks with this strategy:
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First, the feelings of frustration, exhaustion and stress get amplified.
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Second, there’s hardly ever an entirely satiating solution or outcome.
Upon closer inspection, these outcomes are quite expected given that our focus is furthering the problem rather than dispelling it.
As these invisible labors are closely linked with frustration, exhaustion, and stress, concentrating on them only inflates these feelings.
These negative emotions represent our problem state. We long to transition from this issue-ridden state to a solution-oriented one.
But, our whole existence is so steeply entrenched within the problem state that the solution remains elusive.
The statement by Albert Einstein could be recalibrated to fit our context:
We cannot solve the problem of invisible labor with the same state of mind that we employed while creating them.
Thus, the obstacle isn’t necessarily a lack of productive thinking that stops us from tackling the issue; it’s the misdirected emphasis on the problem.
What’s the Core Issue?
The root problem isn’t the weight of unseen labor itself; rather, it’s the emotional turmoil stirred by it.
You may think it’s preposterous, but bear with me for a moment.
Consider this: What ignites the feeling of being overwhelmed due to this invisible labor?
It’s not the actual chores or tasks; instead, it’s the compiling negative emotions — the frustration, exhaustion, stress, etc.
No matter where you perceive the fault lines in the system, the only reason it’s stated as a problem is because it induces adverse feelings.
What if just modifying how you feel could solve the gripping issue of invisible labor?
An Alternate Approach to Addressing Invisible Labor
You despise the mounting frustration; you’re tired of the draining feeling and continual efforts to address it; and the dissatisfaction of it never being completely solved.
So, how about a paradigm shift? Instead of investing all your mental energy on constantly seeking solutions, why not cease for a moment to realign your focus and feelings?
Ask yourself how you would feel if this strain was lifted and start embodying that feeling.
Every time the feelings of stress or frustration creep back, redirect them to the solution state (e.g., relief, peace, satisfaction)
Engage in this cognitive redirection as much as you can.
So, before you brand this concept as absurd, reflect on your life and the efforts invested trying to combat invisible labor.
Recall the countless hours spent in unproductive worry and the emotional distress associated with it.
If the traditional approach to this issue was effective, wouldn’t the solution have been unearthed a long time ago?
To illustrate my point, imagine switching your approach to life. Primarily focus on making yourself feel better in the present rather than replaying the problem.
Close your eyes and acknowledge that in this moment, you’re doing fine. There isn’t an immediate task that requires your attention or any abrupt change that must be made.
Allow your emotions to be felt, but don’t exaggerate them or indulge in self-pity. Worry is comparable to an addiction, and gradually reducing your worry time to zero will result in an improved moment-to-moment experience.
But What of Reasoning and Thought?
Now, don’t get me wrong.
I’m not proposing that you renounce rational thought.
Thinking is necessary and beneficial, but not all thinking is the same. Worrying and overthinking only distort the impact of emotions.
Effective thinking happens without the influence of these distorting emotions.
So, rationalize: What sounds more sensible?
Endless worry and hope for the dissolution of these problems, or to feel as content as possible right now?
Real happiness isn’t tied to the absence of responsibilities or chores, it involves a holistic change in perspective.
The solution to invisible labor is the realization that your happiness contributes significantly to the world.
Irrespective of whether you believe this will solve your invisible labor or not, you’re invited to experience happiness in the present and observe the ensuing changes in your life.