Packing Our Tools

Hardwork is rewarding. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the results of your handiwork. It encourages you to do even more to beat your own success. However, as the saying goes, too much of everything is bad and hardwork is no exception.

Quite recently, someone I know suffered a stroke all of a sudden. This seemingly healthy person was okay all morning but suddenly fell and lost mobility in one side of the body. The nature of work demands that the person attends to customers almost all day. And show up, the customers did even at odd hours leaving the said person little time to rest.

This got me thinking. Is it worth pursuing money at the expense of our health?

Unfortunately, the work life of many people mirrors one such as this be it in the formal or informal sector. Most people wake up at dawn and return at dusk in the name of work and the pursuit of a better life. Sometimes at the expense of their health and safety. Thinking that without their singular efforts, their companies will come to a standstill. But nothing is further from the truth.

The company that you work for will not collapse in your absence. It may only appear so. You need a prove? Just fall down dead right now and see whether someone will not replace you soon enough. Yes the person may struggle initially but give him/her a couple of weeks, and he will master the trade. And might even outperform you.

Well, the company may only collapse if you are the sole proprietor and you run it as such giving no room to anyone else to operate even though they are competent to do so.

As a business owner you must know that taking all the workload will only drive you to an early grave and set your company up to collapse when you are gone. If you think you have to do everything even though you have employees, then why did you employ them in the first place, to keep you company?

It is better to invest in your workers and teach them the tenets of the trade. That way, you relief yourself of some of the workload and have time for yourself and your family. So go ahead and take that accumulated leave and treat yourself to that vacation!

Yes some of your employees may leave and join other companies but look at it this way, you may land yourself someone else who has benefited from such investment.

Sometimes, it is good to pack our working tools, and give ourselves that much needed rest. If not for anything, as a form of practice. For one day, we will all permanently pack our tools- be it our intellect, money, manpower or even our physical bodies- and head back home to either heaven or hell with our works following us.

Rest in Peace, Ebony.
Writer: Belindabe
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