Everybody Works Objective: To help students recognize the scope and diversity of every individual’s accomplishments on a daily basis.

What are Emotions? What are some adjectives (A word or phrase describing an attribute) for the words, “emotion” and/or “feelings?” Examples: Sad, Mad, Angry, Happy, Gloom, Fresh, Bold, Startled, Narcissistic, Sarcastic, etc. Remember…feelings are a VERB! You CHOOSE your mood! (You CHOOSE to be angry, sad, happy, etc!) Emotions play a part in a person’s want to work.

People Work for Survival People work just to bring “home the bacon.” To fulfill their basic needs (i.e. shelter, food, clothing, etc.)

Work to Define Themselves Being able to provide a job title for themselves or a list of accomplishments makes them feel more “real” to ourselves and others. Example: “I’m a Teacher,” I’m an Architect,” “I’m a Mail Carrier,” etc.

Work for a Sense of Security Work is usually constant. There are changes on a day to day basis, but YOU KNOW what you are going to expect. Your spouse might be in a good or bad mood when you get home. Work fills the gap they are not getting from their home life or friends.

Work for Self-Respect, or Power It’s not often easy to feel powerful in our world. Some people will always be more powerful than you. Discrimination based on sex or race is real and robs its victims of the feeling that they can direct their own lives. Working gives some the power and sense of control that adds to their self-respect.

Work to Conquer Time We are aware that we will not be on earth forever. We have a sense that time will simply, “vanish.” One way to conquer our time is to fill each day with achievements or accomplishments. These experiences are part of what we see ourselves to be.

Work to Measure their Self-Worth Working is a way of, “keeping score” or comparing ourselves to others. Who got the promotion? Who earned respect in the group? Who makes the most money? We feel better when we succeed at a difficult task. We also place importance on public recognition: the more lives you touch, the longer you may be remembered.

Do You Work? Everyday tasks you perform ARE work! You are a student; unpaid perhaps, but still a worker.

Everybody Works (Workbook) Activity 17 Read the introduction silently. Think about your typical “working day.” List the tasks and activities you performed in the space in your workbook. How do you feel about your accomplishments from your working day?