Work It, Work It: Making Work Meaningful In Our Ultra-Wired Age

What does “work” mean in this 21st, ultra-wired century, with its exploding new industries, low barriers to entry and endless possibilities? Is technology making our lives more flexible — or our days more endless? How do we balance the gigs in this Gig Economy, and still carve out time to recharge? I’m working on a special project for a site called Make Work Meaningful, hosted by Rypple.com, called “I Love Work” — yes, really! — where I speak to entrepreneurs, writers, authors, innovators and creators about how they balance the passion and purpose of their professional lives. Including Craig Newmark, Dennis Crowley, Katie Rosman, Dan Rollman, Mike Allen, Dina Kaplan and more!

This is a project I undertook separately and apart from Mediaite, but the synergies are pretty obvious — Craig Newmark talking about collaboration, If You Knew Suzy author Katie Rosman talking about going from the freedom of book leave back to the WSJ newsroom, Will Leitch about how he’s just as happy writing for free (!), blip.tv’s Dina Kaplan on looking around for other women in the biz, Foursquare’s Dennis Crowley on the growing pains of his very popular start-up and Jessica Jackley on who picks up the tab in the non-profit world. Plus, I got Mike Allen to admit that he hits the snooze button. Occasionally. (He also says “You can love a 9 to 5 job.” I think he loves about five of them in the course of his own.)

There will be more to come but check it out here — it’s a pretty amazing group of amazing people and more of all stripes are coming. Including one where I make my own work meaningful by including a Loverboy track and the phrase “Try the Pickles!” It’s the little things.

I ♥ Work [Make Work Meaningful]

NB: In addition to my work for Mediaite and Rypple.com’s “Make Work Meaningful” site, I also advise Jim Bankoff, pictured above, and his company, SBNation. All disclosures have been made to all parties in that regard. Gig economy and all that.