What is work?

Many times in passing people in the hall I ask, "So, are you working hard?"  I think this makes for a better comment than, "So, how are you doing today?"  I don't wait for an answer, yet I often get chuckles.

So today I was asked my own question in passing, "So, are you working hard tonight, Rick."  I surprised her with this response:  "It depends on your definition of work?"

"Um, work is when you are being productive?"

"Well, I am being productive, yet is productivity actually work?  I can be productive doing something I'm being paid to do, or I can be productive doing something I want to do, like blogging."

"I see," she said, smiling.  "So what is the definition of work?"

"So I guess work, by our bosses definition, is being productive doing something you're getting paid to do, like respiratory therapy stuff.  If that's your definition, then no.  Yet I am being productive one way or another."

"Or..."

"Or is work laboring and sweating and stressing..."

Yes, we have a little fun here at work (the place where we get paid).

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