Invest Emotions, Not Hours: Carve a great Work-Wife-Life Story by Finding Passion-Purpose in Your Work !

The past few weeks our feeds and minds both have been abuzz with the 90-hour debate (or may I call it a debacle :P ). Two cohorts emerged – one vying for “putting work productivity above everything else”, and other vouching for mental health, balance, and the likes.

While I was consuming, swallowing, and digesting all the furore, I could not help but think, "Are work, (wife :P), and life really exclusively separate things?". As I decided to dissect this, I was immediately drawn to the long forgotten chapter of Venn Diagram, and I thought it would be good to put my not-so-great mathematics skills to test in this practical real-life scenario!

I began by asking myself a simple question, "What all inputs go into one’s work?" While I started drawing the circles, tangible and evident answers started cropping up – time, effort, skills, et al. But what further emerged, was indeed, deeply interesting ! I started drawing some “invisible circles” – the ones which add up into work and life, but are often not visibly seen – Energies, Emotions, Passion, and the likes !

Concept by Rhucha Kulkarni

And at the convergence of this tangible and intangible, came forth the "Ideal Work & Life" !

So, a subsequent thought – “What if we’ve been measuring the wrong thing all along?” Questions emerged - "Is true productivity and efficiency stemming from intangibles, more than tangibles?", "What is the contribution of these seldom seen "invisibles" in our work outcomes, and therein, our life outcomes?" Which brought me to a very stark question – “What if true fulfilment in our careers isn’t about the time we clock in, but about the emotional investment we make in our work?”

As we all run the rat race, it’s easy to lose sight of WHY we’re doing what we do. Yet, when we begin to invest our emotions - our passion, purpose, and energy, into our work, something powerful happens. We not only perform better, but we also start to find real meaning in what we do.

A Personal Journey: Embracing Purpose Over Time

I was no different. Initially, I was one of those who believed pitching in long hours would help me rise the career ladder, to “succeed” as we see conventional success – more status, more money, more fame! I was happy to put aside my multiple interests and hobbies and pave the unidirectional path to "success". I did not mind feeling creatively stifled in the quest for “arriving in life”. I jumped from one company to another in search of the “perfect work environment”. Yet, life had other plans, some health concerns (thankfully not chronic) and a forced PAUSE, led me to REFLECT and INTROSPECT.

Along a journey of self realisation and self discovery, I realise that this notion of “perfect work and life” was an enigma. Life was full of imperfections, and it was up to me to decide which imperfections I am to embrace, and how "perfection" looks to me. This Pause helped me realign with my values, with WHO I was at the core, and with what would truly propel me forward in the long run. I realized that to truly flourish and succeed for myself, I had to be investing my mind, heart, and soul in what I did. This pushed me to embark on a journey of #solopreneurship. Paradoxically, this did not come without the "long hours". In fact, it was quite the contradiction - Shooting 10-12 hours, writing content late into the night, and practicing for my coaching credentialing at odd hours – the hours did add up beyond the usual! Often, I would forget the need to eat, drink and even sleep, because I was totally in the “flow”. Not to mention the many emotional ups and downs, failures and successes. Despite this, as I look back over the past 9 years of ups and downs across four creative ventures, it still fills me with a sense of fulfilment and purpose in my inner core. Why? Because it was all about investing my emotions, and not just investing my time.

Such experiences can prove to be a turning point in how we look at work and life.

But the beauty is - we need not go through such experiences ourselves – We can BEGIN by simply asking yourself: What if I could focus on how I felt about my work, rather than just how much time I was spending on it? And this simple question can lead you to reframe your entire approach to a career !

Why Passion and Purpose Matter More Than Time

The truth is, hours are a limited currency. The more we “put in,” the more we risk burning out, feeling disconnected, or—worst of all—losing sight of what truly drives us. Passion, on the other hand, is limitless. When we invest our emotional energy into something we care about, we don’t just work harder; we work smarter. The effort becomes less about pushing through the day and more about creating something meaningful.

Think about it: Have you ever worked on a project that had deep personal significance to you? Maybe it was a project that aligned with your values or one that sparked a sense of pride. You probably found that the hours flew by, and you were energized, even though the work was demanding. When passion drives you, time isn’t just a measure of productivity—it becomes a backdrop to the flow of creativity and purpose.

How to Find Meaning in Your Work

1.     Reconnect with Your "Why”: What initially drew you to your field? Was it a desire to help others, solve problems, or create something new? Revisit that “why” and use it as a guiding compass. It’s easy to forget in the hustle of daily tasks, but when you remember why you’re doing something, you can infuse your work with purpose.

2.     Align Your Tasks with Your Values: Find ways to align your daily work with your core values. Whether that’s contributing to a team goal, fostering collaboration, or impacting a cause you care about, aligning tasks with your deeper motivations can make even mundane projects feel meaningful.

3.     Celebrate Small Wins: Passion doesn’t always show up in big moments. Sometimes it’s the small victories—solving a problem, meeting a deadline, or helping a colleague—that reignite our sense of purpose. Celebrating these milestones keeps you connected to your emotional investment and encourages continued growth.

4.     Work with People Who Inspire You: Surround yourself with like-minded professionals who are passionate about their work. Being part of a team that shares a collective sense of purpose can reignite your own energy and elevate the impact of your work.

5.     Make Space for Reflection: Dedicate time regularly to reflect on your work. Are you still feeling connected to your passion? Are there areas where you feel drained or disconnected? Taking moments for reflection allows you to course-correct and ensure your emotional investment remains aligned with your goals.

In a Nutshell: Rewrite Your Professional Story, Your Wife Story, and Your Life Story! :)

Our Careers don’t need to be measured at the outset by long hours and endless tasks.

More importantly...

Our Identities don’t need to be defined by "how much" we work.

Instead...

Measure yourself by the purpose, passion, and the emotional connection you cultivate!

Perhaps, Why even Measure?

Just Celebrate yourself for being true to who you ARE !

Paradoxically, there is a strong possibility that by investing emotions, you may find the hours just melting into each other, and yes, you end up working more than you planned for! But honestly, if that is what happens, is it really all that bad? Because, when you shift your focus from the quantity of time spent to the quality of your emotional investment, you open the door to more meaningful, fulfilling, and sustainable success – success that works for YOU, and not just for the world!

Take a moment to reflect on your journey. Ask yourself: "Am I investing my emotions in my work?" If the answer is no, consider how you can shift your focus from mere hours to meaningful, passion-driven effort. Start small, but make it intentional.

Your work (and your wife :P, and your life) will thank you for it !

So, let’s reflect…

How do we invest from the heart, not merely from the mind?

in short…

How do we bring our passion and purpose into our daily work?

We would love to hear from you, reach out @ mojomantra.coaching@gmail.com to discuss how we can all bring more meaning to what we do.