Work occupies a third of adult life

The Importance of Work

The importance of work is through its impact on three key aspects of life.

• 1. We spend a third of adult life at work. Through work we add to our growth and well-being, and also that of our families and of society.

  2. Work provides the income and outputs for meeting the needs of life.

  3. Work has a positive impact on our mental, social, and physical health. It adds to to our confidence and personal self-esteem. Work gives us social status and a sense of social responsibility. Work keeps us mentally alert and physically active.

Carefully consider the work you choose with the help of a reliable aptitude test given this importance of work. Income is important but should not be the sole criteria for career choice. Income is just one of the reasons for which we need to work. If income is the only purpose of work, work becomes a chore, something to avoid or to finish in a hurry. There is no drive, no sense of achievement, no pride in doing the work well. Spending a third of one's adult life in work that is disliked adversely impacts psychological, social, and physical health and well-being. Burnout, absenteeism, employee attrition, depression and work-stress related disorders are the end products.

Career choices you make today decide who your friends will be, which area or city you will stay in, and even who you will marry. This adds to the importance of work and makes it essential to choose a career with consideration. However, even after decades of progress in aptitude testing we still believe that career decisions ‘just happen naturally’. Most young people take the path of least resistance. They follow family and friends or their peers at school. They have no exposure to real-world work. They have no idea what the work in a particular profession actually is. Unreal expectations lead to disappointment, frustration, absenteeism, or depression early in their careers. Career choices veer towards high prestige jobs –e.g doctors, engineers– while ignoring an aptitude for clerical or mechanical work.

When two people of equal intelligence, and undergo similar training, why does one master the knowledge or skill easily, while the other take longer to do so? This is because they differ in their aptitude for that particular work. A reliable aptitude test helps in career guidance. A blend of aptitude, interest, and training helps place the right person in the right job.

The work you do must exercise all your abilities to reap the benefits of a life well lived. You will be happier, stay motivated and last longer at work that uses your specific abilities, and that is suitable for your personality. You will be more willing and able to overcome the challenges that are part of any work. Success, promotions and income would then be likely to follow. A well designed and reliable aptitude test will help you choose a suitable career, and is essential given the importance of work.

References

• 1. WHO. Global strategy on occupational health for all: The way to health at work. 11-14-Oct-1994. Accessed 10-May-2015.

  2. Stanford University News Service. How people choose 'career paths'. 28-May-1991. Accessed 02-Jun-2015.