Supplementary Sheet:
The Value of Our Labour (Paid and Unpaid)**
- What Is Labour? (Simple Explanation)
Labour is any effort you give that supports life.
This includes:
Work you are paid for
Work you are not paid for
Both have value.
Both keep people, families, and communities functioning.
- Types of Labour
A. Paid Labour
Work that earns money.
Examples:
Formal jobs
Contract work
Small businesses
Piece work
This labour is recognised in the economy.
B. Unpaid Labour
Work that is necessary but not paid.
Examples:
Caregiving (children, elders, disabled persons)
Household work (cleaning, cooking, organising)
Emotional support (listening, comforting, mediating)
Community work (volunteering, helping others)
This labour is often invisible, but essential.
- Why Unpaid Labour Matters
Without unpaid labour:
Families would not function
Workers could not go to work
Communities would struggle to survive
Unpaid labour:
Saves money for households and the state
Holds social systems together
Is often carried by women, caregivers, and disabled persons
- The Hidden Imbalance
Many people:
Do both paid and unpaid labour
But only paid labour is recognised or rewarded
This creates:
Exhaustion
Financial pressure
Lack of recognition
It is not just about effort.
It is about visibility and value.
- Labour and Poverty Trauma
When survival is constant:
Labour becomes about coping, not growth
Rest feels unsafe or undeserved
Saying “no” feels risky
People may:
Overwork without stability
Undervalue their own contribution
Struggle to see their worth beyond income
- Reframing Value
Your value is not only what you earn.
Your labour includes:
Keeping a home running
Supporting others
Holding things together in difficult times
These are not “small things.”
They are foundations of survival and dignity.
- Small Ways to Reclaim the Value of Your Labour
A. Name It
List what you do in a day.
Include everything—not just paid work.
B. Recognise Patterns
Ask:
Where am I giving the most energy?
What is never acknowledged?
C. Create One Boundary
Examples:
Rest for 30 minutes without guilt
Say no to one extra demand
D. Share the Load (If Possible)
Ask for help
Divide responsibilities
Start small, even one task
You Are Not Meant to Do This Alone
It is a myth that you must carry everything by yourself.
Humans survive through connection, not isolation.
Asking for help is not failure.
It is part of how life works.
E. Connect Labour to Money (Gently)
Can any skill be formalised later?
Can support reduce your financial pressure?
No pressure—just awareness.
- Important Reminder
You are not “doing nothing” if you are unpaid.
Unpaid labour is real labour.
And it deserves:
Recognition
Respect
Rest
- Grounding Thought
The world does not run on money alone.
It runs on people who keep showing up—paid or not.
- One-Step Action (Start Here)
Today, choose one:
Write down everything you did (include care work)
Rest without explaining yourself
Ask for help with one task
Acknowledge your own effort out loud
That is enough.