Purpose Boosts Health
My wife once told me, “You’re the second hardest-working person I know.”
She said this indicating that it was her father, Lawrence, who was #1. I took great offense, since despite my belief in napping and my aversion to the constraints of a job, I think of myself as very industrious.
Ever since that moment, whenever my father-in-law and I are in the same house, I make it a point to get up earlier than he does. Of course, this is a useless point to make since Lawrence doesn’t actually participate in this “competition.”
Last weekend, Lawrence stayed at our house. (I was already a grocery store run and one hour of work into the day when he came down for breakfast.) He asked how my business was going, which prompted me to share my plans for this year’s “adventure time.”
I was a little nervous to share since adventure time mostly comes down to: “I’m spending most of my time over the rest of the year on things that aren’t supporting your daughter’s family.” But Lawrence’s response was, “that’s great!”
For context, he’s about to start his third try at retirement, with the previous two failures as testament to his work ethic. But when describing his career, he said, “I work hard, but I lay my head on the pillow and fall asleep without a problem.”
He said that he could do that because he authentically enjoyed his work. And that meant that work never brought much stress into his life, even as his last two jobs were starting podiatric medical schools from scratch. Lawrence contrasted his experience with those of his colleagues in medicine and education who experienced it as a grind, including several who died prematurely from heart issues.
He concluded his stories by recommending that I read The Rabbit Effect. In that book, Dr. Kelli Harding describes how our physical and mental health are driven in large part by factors of our environment, community, and work.
On work in particular, Harding argues that because experiencing dignity, autonomy, respect, and enjoyment at work are so important for our health, we ought to prioritize those when making professional choices.
She writes: “We may spend a lot of time thinking about how to get the best, most perfect job where we save the world and earn a gazillion dollars doing it. But what often gets lost in this daydream is the simple joy found in working.”
Some other highlights from the book:
“Striving for a noble, meaningful purpose” makes us healthier.
Harding writes, “A focus on meaning and self-realization not only lowers daily salivary cortisol levels and pro-inflammatory markers but offers some impressive health advantages. A meta-analysis combining ten prospective studies found that a high sense of purpose in life or usefulness […] is associated with a significantly reduced risk of all causes of death.”
She continues: “People who infuse purpose into their day-to-day sleep better, are less susceptible to viruses, and have healthier hearts. [...] Other benefits range from a lower risk of stroke (72 percent lower risk) and heart disease (44 percent lower risk) to better outcomes when they are sick, such as with reduced cancer spread, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disorders, or dementia.”
As leaders, we directly impact the wellbeing of those on our teams.
Dr. Harding provides real clarity on this. She writes, “Most people would say having a good doctor is important to health, but this data implies that having a good manager is also critical for avoiding disease. Managers who support and value their employees, who trust them and value their autonomy, and who promote the dignity of work help both humans and organizations thrive. When you don’t feel under threat or scrutiny, you have more available working memory to problem solve and be creative. Indeed, a study of nineteen thousand people published in the Harvard Business Review found that those who feel treated with dignity at work are far more (55 percent more) engaged. In addition, an economics study looking at millions of responses from Gallup daily polls over the years found workers who feel they have a supervisor who is a “partner” versus a “boss” are significantly happier. The difference for those with a partner boss was equivalent to a doubling of household income. If you are a manager, know you play a lead role in the health of your staff. And their well-being and happiness will help drive your success.”
I definitely have some confirmation bias, but I’m totally right to enjoy napping.
Harding writes: “In a profound example of [napping], a study of over twenty-three thousand Greek adults published in JAMA Archives found people who nap regularly are less likely to die from heart disease than those who don’t. For working men, a midday siesta reduced the risk of death from heart disease 64 percent.”
The book is an interesting read. Lawrence recommended the book at breakfast. And I’d finished it by the evening….just to prove a point. :)
Leadership Wisdom
“If you are starting out in your career, please don’t do things for the prestige alone or because someone else thinks it’s a good idea for you. (I learned this the hard way.) Make sure you find genuine enthusiasm and meaning in the activities you say yes to. Say no to everything else. This will allow you time for the things that capture your imagination when they do arrive.”
— Dr. Kelli Harding, in The Rabbit Effect