I had a conversation today with someone at work. He mentioned that he likes his job because he makes it something to enjoy. Even though the work itself can be mundane and repetitive, he treats every day as a learning experience — thus giving it a purpose above and beyond just being a job.

This reminded me of a lesson that I learned back in culinary school. It was about peeling carrots. It could be peeling potatoes, de-boning chicken thighs, plucking thyme sprigs, or any number of mind-numbing necessities that take place in a restaurant kitchen.

But the idea was simple. Whenever you’re doing this task, consider the entire experience as a lesson. With each new carrot, think whether there could be a better way to peel it. Think about each motion and see whether you can do it faster, or in a way that wastes less of the good stuff.

By focusing on these little details that may or may not improve the process, you give meaning to the task aside from simply peeling carrots. By giving it meaning, you have a mental focus that not only distracts you from the monotony of it all, but you are becoming better.

I take this approach in almost everything I do. That is, the creative side of things — because even the creative work involves mundane tasks. However, I haven’t brought this approach into my day job — not for a long time.

I’m grateful for this unintended reminder to treat everything as peeling carrots.