You deserve a day off

Labor Day was created to celebrate the men and women who worked to secure workers’ rights. So if you enjoy a 40-hour work week, paid annual leave, sick pay, and safe working conditions, you have them to thank.

But on this Labor Day weekend, we also want to recognize all the emotional labor that you’re doing - the empathy and understanding that so often goes unnoticed but that plays a huge role in ensuring the world doesn’t implode - maintaining social harmony, personal relationships, and even professional success.

What is emotional labor?

Emotional labor refers to the process of managing and regulating emotions to meet the expectations of a particular situation, role, or relationship. It's the invisible work we do to ensure our interactions are positive, respectful, and appropriate, even when we might not feel like it. The concept was first introduced by the sociologist Arlie Hochschild in her 1983 book The Managed Heart.

What does emotional labor look like?

Surface acting: This involves changing or modifying your outward expression of emotions while keeping the internal emotional state unchanged. It's like putting on a mask to appear a certain way, even if you feel the complete opposite inside. For example, smiling and staying calm when a client is being unreasonable or demanding.

Deep acting: This goes beyond superficial expressions. Deep acting emotional labor involves making a genuine effort to change your internal emotional state to align with the desired emotion. It requires empathy and self-awareness to truly feel the emotion you're portraying. An example would be a nurse showing compassion to a patient even if they are personally tired or stressed.

When do we put in the work?

Emotional labor is pervasive across all aspects of life:

In the workplace: Many professions demand emotional labor, particularly those involving customer service, healthcare, teaching, and caregiving. Employees are often required to manage their emotions to create a positive experience for clients, patients, or students.

In personal relationships: Every relationship you have requires a certain amount of emotional labor. We often put aside our own feelings and invest emotional energy to support loved ones during tough times, celebrations, or even in everyday conversations.

Socially: Navigating social situations involves emotional labor as we gauge the atmosphere and respond accordingly. We might suppress negative emotions to maintain harmony or project enthusiasm when interacting with acquaintances.

The toll of all that unseen effort

It’s called ‘labor’ for a reason, people! And while it’s essential for maintaining relationships and social cohesion, it's not without its costs.

Emotional exhaustion: Constantly managing emotions, especially inauthentic ones, can lead to emotional exhaustion, resulting in burnout, anxiety, and even depression over time.

Inauthenticity: When emotional labor becomes a habit, it might blur the lines between genuine emotions and manufactured ones, causing us to lose touch with our genuine feelings.

Unseen strain: Since emotional labor is often invisible, the effort behind it can go unnoticed and unappreciated, leading to feelings of being undervalued or taken for granted.

Coping and balancing

As with anything, the key to managing the impact from emotional labor is to strike a balance.

Self-awareness: Recognize your emotional limits and the impact of emotional labor on your well-being.

Healthy boundaries: Learn to say no when the emotional demands become overwhelming, both at work and in personal relationships.

Self-care: Engage in activities that help recharge your emotional energy and keep you connected to your authentic emotions.

Open communication: In professional settings, encourage dialogue about emotional labor. Acknowledging and appreciating this effort can lead to more supportive work environments for everyone.

In conclusion

Emotional labor might be invisible, but its effects are tangible. It's the glue that holds our relationships and societies together, enabling us to empathize, connect, and thrive. So however you’re spending Labor Day this year - and we hope you’re doing something you love with people who make you laugh - take the time to recognize your own and others’ emotional input in your life. By understanding and managing it, we can foster healthier relationships, nurture our emotional well-being, and create a more empathetic world.

Take care of yourself.

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