Madogiwazoku

When my former boss was six months from retirement, I took over as team leader. One of my first moves was to find smaller, second-hand desks so our growing team could fit better into the room. Rearranging the desks meant one would end up next to the window. Everyone wanted the window desk.

My boss said, “Just put me next to the window. I won’t be a bother to anyone, I’ll just be enjoying the view.” I laughed and told him, “In Japan, that’s called the 窓際族 (Madogiwazoku). The tribe that sits next to the window, spends their days gazing at the clouds, counting the hours until they can go home and waiting for the day they can leave the company.” But it’s a negative thing. It’s decided they aren’t useful anymore, so they’re given only pointless, time-filling work, left to fade away.

I didn’t plan to let my boss slip into that. Instead, I gave him a desk at the center of our team. Because work is also Ikigai. Being useful, contributing, feeling appreciated, feeling self-worth, some of us work for that. Work is not just work, especially outside the standard 9-to-5 routine.

Not only in work. I’ve seen this happen elsewhere too. My great-grandfather was energetic at 92, always on his bicycle, visiting friends. But when he was taken to the hospital for a heart pacer adjustment and kept more than a week, he quickly declined. Unable to move freely, he lost his Ikigai.

Now, as my own time to leave my current job approaches, I’m trying to plan a graceful exit, finding my Ikigai in the days left and in whatever comes after.