Paid & Unpaid Work:

My 3-year-old daughter, Leigh, is a proud Squirrel at Inman Park Cooperative Preschool. Every day, she’s assigned a job—Safety Helper, Book Chooser, Substitute, or even Breath Chooser (yes, that’s a thing). Her favorite? Safety Helper.

Leigh loves all her jobs, even though she’s not paid a dime for her hard work. And honestly, she doesn’t need to be. She’s having fun, learning, building community, and feeling a sense of accomplishment—all without her dad (me) lecturing her about the ideas in my soon-to-be-published book, Work Is Fun.

Something stood out to me at drop-off today when I was reflecting on a recent conversation with Regnault Sanders, the founder of Schoolconomy, who shared a fresh perspective on the value of unpaid work.

“School is work—we just never got paid for it,” Regnault said during our podcast chat.

And he’s absolutely right. His company is rethinking how we reward students for their efforts and achievements, making those rewards a little more tangible and exciting.

Here’s my take... whether we’re paid or not, the best work often happens when we let go of the reward and focus on the process itself. Think about it: the creative side project at your 9 to 5, the volunteer committee you joined at work, or the time spent helping a colleague with their work.

Whether you’re a preschool Safety Helper or a seasoned professional, the key to enjoying work is this:

Stop chasing the reward. Start loving the process.

What work—paid or unpaid—has brought you the most joy? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

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