What Cleaning Toilets for 3 Months Taught Me About Work

Summary

The author reflects on the humbling lessons learned about work and empathy from a three-month stint cleaning toilets after college, which contrasted sharply with his academic background and subsequent attempts at entrepreneurship.

Abstract

The narrative recounts the author's journey from a challenging job in a prison to the even more demanding role of a temporary toilet cleaner. Waking up at 3:30 am, the author's daily routine involved intense physical labor across multiple sites, often facing unreasonable demands from building managers. Despite the exhaustion and monotony, the experience taught him about the dignity and struggles of people in less-skilled roles who endure difficult conditions for minimal pay. The author emphasizes the importance of kindness and respect towards such workers, recalling a touching incident where a small act of appreciation made a significant impact on him. The job also prompted introspection about the value of work and the treatment of individuals in lower-ranking positions, leading to a profound appreciation for those who perform essential yet undervalued tasks.

Opinions

The author acknowledges the difficulty and underappreciated nature of less-skilled labor, particularly in roles like cleaning.
There is a notable disparity in treatment between skilled and less-skilled workers, with the latter often facing condescension and unfair criticism.
The author expresses gratitude for the personal growth and empathy gained from the experience, which has shaped his perspective on work and human dignity.
He advocates for kindness and recognition towards workers in less-skilled positions, emphasizing their essential contributions to society.
The author shares a personal belief that one's character can be judged by how they treat those in positions considered to be inferior.
He suggests that even small gestures of appreciation, such as a tip or kind words, can be incredibly meaningful to workers who are often overlooked.

People in less-skilled roles deal with the most sh*t.

I laugh at how easy my life has become. I’m sitting on my bed during lunch, typing away at this story.

It hasn’t always been like this. After graduating, I worked in a prison and quickly realised I was out of my depth. I quit after four months to start a business, failed that, and ended up cleaning toilets as a temporary worker.

A typical cleaning day looked like this. I’d wake up at 3:30 am, pick up my supervisor, and get to work before five. We’d then locate equipment, dash around the building and get our jobs done.

After leaving that building, we’d move onto the next, and repeat the process three or four times a day.

It was the toughest job I’ve had.

Some of the building managers were nice. Others, a pain in the arse. One shining example was a boutique accountancy that called me in the evening because I missed some dust on a windowsill.

F*ck me.

The three months were depressing as hell. I was constantly tired and the days were mind-numbing. The only redeeming feature was the people I worked with — or at least some of them.

One woman shouted at me because my mopping technique was “wrong”.

In the back of my mind throughout this time was why am I here? I’d spent three years at university, learning about quantitative easing and game theory, and here I was, shifting a skidmark in the men's room.

It was a humbling pill to swallow.

I’m grateful for the experience, though. It’s made me a kinder person, and I’ve seen what people put up with. The condescending looks they receive, the managers who pounce, the customers who complain about nothing.

They deal with this sh*t — day in day out — and often for minimum wage.

I’ve also pushed trollies at a supermarket, served cod at a chip shop, and stripped wallpaper as a labourer. All this is to say I’ve worked in a number of low-skilled roles.

My message today? Be kind. People in these positions are the glue that holds things together, and they deal with enough sh*t without us making it more difficult.

If you want to take your appreciation to the next level, offer a smile and a few kind words. I remember being given a £10 tip by a young man for pushing his trolley through the snow, and it was one of the best moments of my working life. So much so, I can still see his face.

Be that person.

“If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors — not his equals.” — J.K. Rowling