Sometimes people stay late at work because they are under pressure and have no choice. Other times, they choose to stay because they love their work and enjoy it so much that the hours pass without them noticing.
The enthusiasm of the early years
Early in my career, my enthusiasm for work knew no bounds. I was deeply interested in what I did, and I loved the company I worked for. I was so committed that, on one occasion, I stayed at work until the following day.
After 10 PM
One evening, it was past ten o’clock and I was still at my desk, finishing work I considered important.
At that late hour, the director of my department came to the office for some reason and saw me at my desk. We had an excellent relationship, so I was happy to see him.
He asked, sounding angry, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m working,” I said. “There are important things I need to finish.”
“And what happens if you don’t finish them?”
I tried to explain why the work mattered, but he continued: “If you don’t do it, will the whole company fail? Will we close the doors and all go home? Are you the only one who knows how to work, Abdulaziz, and the rest of us don’t?”
His words stunned me. A moment earlier, I had been happy to see him. Now he was scolding me for being in the office. He told me to finish up and go home. I picked up my things and left, deeply upset.
For the next week or two, I avoided speaking to him or even walking past his office. I could not understand why he had responded to my commitment that way.
Another conversation with my director
One day, he called me in and asked, “Why are you upset?”
I told him honestly that I was upset with him. I had wanted him to thank me or acknowledge my effort, rather than scold me while I was trying to get my work done.
He said, “Abdulaziz, I value your dedication and your commitment to getting the work done. But I want you to distinguish between your working life and your personal life.”
As we talked, he came to this point:
“You owe yourself care, and your family has a right to your time.”
He was concerned that staying late would become a habit I could no longer control.
Work and personal life
That was when I understood the lesson. I had been staying late by choice, and I did not feel unhappy about it. He wanted me to recognize what could happen if I got used to giving work time at the expense of my health and my family.
My message is not an argument against working long hours or an invitation to be lazy. Work can be an act of worship. Your life and your family nourish your body and spirit, and help you approach that work with sincerity.
Discussion
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