Are white collar jobs a thing of the past?

Rediscovering the value of hands-on work

Manual labour isn’t just work — it’s a craft, a tradition, and a testament to human ingenuity. In an age where digital innovation often overshadows the tangible, everyday efforts that build our communities, it’s time to shine a light on manual work and reclaim its dignity and pride. — Unknown

During the pandemic — and as a knowledge worker still recovering mentally from that time — I went through something I couldn’t quite name then. In hindsight, I realize it had everything to do with my hands. More specifically, with not knowing what to do with them. How to feel their usefulness in a world that had suddenly come to a standstill, one that labeled many of us as non-essential. It felt like a kind of quiet horror. And truthfully, I’ m not sure I have fully recovered.

There’s something troublesome about idle hands — not sure now I am echoing my grandma who saw idle hands and the devil’s playground, but I think there is a deeper conversation with having.

I am the mom of 2 teen boys, and I can tell you from experience that if you have ever watched a teenager whose phone has been taken away, you’ll know what I mean. They stare into space, fingers twitching slightly, as if waiting for a task that never comes. That was me. Office life…