Invisible work

Or why it (sometimes) matters to do well, even when its not for anyone else to see

The thing about sewing is, a lot of the work is stitches and manipulations that are ultimately hidden from view. An impeccably finished edge that is locked into place with lining fabric. A hand-turned hem that is only really visible when the wind blows your dress. The perfectly pressed seam that is pressed into place gets sandwiched into a quilt and never seen again. Seriously, look at the inside of any garment you have. There is work there—finished edges, hemming, reinforcements—that make your garments (towels, blankets, sheets, tablecloths, etc.) wearable, durable, washable.

Pressed seams for the a star quilt. They are now stitched into the middle of a quilt, but it still gives me a lot of pleasure to know that they are there.

But invisible work isn’t evenly distributed. The work of “holiday magic”-making, late night laundry, being sure the slides are ready for the team meeting, tidying up rooms that will get cluttered again tomorrow, editing writing so it is ready to go for its intended purpose—these fall on people at different times, and for different reasons. As I often tell my students, life is a group project. And we all know why we hated group projects.

Invisible work isn’t often glamorous, it isn’t public, it often isn’t valued.

Where does the motivation to do work come from? This question is actually really important in the world of public policy. The question of what makes people want to work for the public good, whether it comes from internal motivation or external incentives, is an important one to understand. Intrinsic motivation, the feeling that work is valuable, important, or helpful, turns out to be way more durable than external incentives. But, external incentives can also “crowd out” people’s internal motivation, but making them reprioritize, or re-value their work through outside eyes.

So, when and where does doing invisible work matter?

1. It matters to do invisible work when you’re building out your foundations or making life easier for future-you.

Good pressing or finishing on sewn seams makes later sewing easier and more durable. Cleaning your house makes other domestic tasks easier. Making sure your team is ready to present is good for everyone. I’m not here to advocate for “rise and grind” culture, but rather for a kind of self-care that means prioritizing the work that will ease your own load.

Social and behavioral researchers have a term, “Social Discount Rate,” which basically encapsulated the puzzle here. People are not great at weighing present rewards against future potential costs. Essentially, we’re great procrastinators. But, even when the work is invisible, its important to lower your discount rate. Value your own future self and their well-being. Do the work.

2. It matters to do invisible work when it is important to you.

Work that is important is fulfilling and enriching for everyone. I make bread. I sew. I do things that are unnecessarily labor intensive and time-costly in large part because I find value in these things. Intrinsic motivation for work is linked to higher quality work, more efficiency, and more consistent outputs. Turns out, when people do work that they value, it is better for everyone.

So it might matter to you to have a perfect holiday tablescape, or an impeccable presentation, or a delightful picture of your kids to send around. Press your seams impeccably, finish your edges, bake your bread. Do it because the value of exertion and work should accrue not only from what they provide materially, but because of what value they make for you.

3. It does NOT matter when you’re making life easier for others at your own expense.

Always and everywhere, I advocate for airplane rules: put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others. This advice is NOT to take care of yourself SO THAT you can be useful to others. It’s that you have to help yourself first.

So where does this leave us?

The fact is that there’s still lots of invisible work to be done. Always. In fact, most of the civilizing work of society-based living is invisible. Perfectly pressed seams, and clean houses, and holiday magic are valuable, not intrinsically, but because of what they can do for us: they can ease our future passage, and they can give us a sense of fulfillment. They can be lasting and important, not because they are visible, but because they are acts of care for ourselves and our communities. They can be ways to fill our own cups, not to pour out for others, but to have for ourselves.

Sending you all best wishes for the start of the holiday rush.