The unenjoyment rate.

I have always been blessed, truly blessed because I love to work. Almost regardless of what I do--from the time I was a cashier on the night shift in a liquor store on Rush Street in Chicago till thirty years later--today--when I am the ECD of a mid-sized agency in Manhattan, I have enjoyed much of what I do. Creating. Solving problems. Learning. Helping people.

However, I'm thinking something is changing of late. If not for me, than for millions of people not as fortunate as I.

The New York Times this morning has one of their brilliant interactive maps that charts the unemployment rate for every county in the US. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/03/us/20090303_LEONHARDT.html?hp It occurred to me while looking at this data this morning that there might be a statistic we are over-looking as we calculate the depth and breadth of Depression 2.0. We are focused on the unemployment rate, but we should also be thinking of the unenjoyment rate.

The unenjoyment rate, at least to my eyes, has sky-rocketed. We are all so beleaguered by TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) that fear and loathing has replaced fun and laughing. We are looking back over our shoulders rather than ahead over the horizon.

Enjoyment at work is holy and blessed. It's what makes us human. For me, it's what makes me me. It's what makes me good.

Try as I will to make life at work better for others I can only do so much. Most of all I will try to lower the unenjoyment rate. If you still have a job, please do the same. :-)