​

Hey Reader

"It's in our DNA, really... Nature versus nurture? For us it's both. It's in our nature, but we are nurtured to be hard workers."

When Work Becomes Identity

Recently, a coworker who is a child of an immigrant from an East African country shared that she's typically around overachievers or people who tend to be really good at their jobs and care about the work they're doing. However they "get run into the ground by the organization because the organization knows they're hard workers; or people are just working and working."

I understood what she was saying, realizing that many of us experience but rarely articulate, the complex relationship that immigrants and children of immigrants often develop with work. One where our identity becomes intertwined with productivity, achievement, and being recognized for our contributions.

My coworker knows the strategies that I put in place to help me "not do the most" at work. They don't always curb/stop me but these strategies definitely help to redirect me.

Not Universal, But Common

Of course, this isn't a universal experience. We know some people that don't fit the bill. We all can identify that one cousin or family friend who seems completely unbothered by these cultural expectations.

These exceptions are important to acknowledge—they remind us that cultural patterns are tendencies, not an absolute guarantee. For many of us, the pattern holds strong enough to create a recognizable shared experience that crosses nationalities and backgrounds.

Your Experience?

I'd love to hear how you view your own relationship with work. Do you recognize this pattern in yourself? Have you found strategies to maintain your cultural work ethic while protecting your wellbeing? Or perhaps you're one of those "outliers" with a completely different experience?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm also curious about whether your work identity has evolved or not.

Until next time, Walk good.
​
Kerry-Ann
Carry On Friends + Breadfruit Media

​