I learned something a while ago and just recently came back to mind as I was working with some people and dividing up action items and tasks (work!). For any work or task to be satisfying it needs to have three qualities:
- Autonomy - Are you able to independently complete the work without constant checking with authority figures, partners or other entities?
- Complexity - Does the work stretch your mental muscle and keep you mentally engaged?
- Connection between effort and reward – the effort you expend to complete the work does it provide you with equal reward. There is times where just having the first two items, autonomy and complexity is enough to make the effort and reward payoff.
Work that fulfills these three requirements is truly meaningful.
I do these checks often as I look at my work and when working in a group. You should ask are task assigned correctly that will make it meaningful for yourself or the individual assigned to complete this task. This check well help you get the best of not only yourself but the people around you.
