One aspect of US culture is individuality and emphasis on work. Most people in the US grow up with a high focus in their career, and therefore spend most of their time towards achieving their career goals. With this being said, during their working years, there is often a higher focus around the work environment, and a lesser focus on family life. Although I am not from the US, I grew up there and noticed that this was one major difference between the American culture and my own. I personally looked at this trait from two different perspectives, as on one hand, I admire the strong work ethic that Americans have, however; on the other, I think that this can lead to an unhealthy imbalance.
I think that it is great to have drive and ambition, especially toward one’s work. However, as it is important to put oneself first and pursue their dreams, it can lead to an unhealthy balance. I often find that most people, including myself, get easily stressed when working in the US, as it is a never ending cycle of trying to improve, but rarely do we take time to slow down or appreciate the present moment. From an outsider’s view, they would think that it is better to focus on the moment itself and not always on the future, especially careerwise. I think that different cultures view work in the way that they work in order to live a great life that they can enjoy, rather than to work merely to gain a higher position in their field. They might also think that it is good to have a work-life balance to lower stress and spend more time doing things that they enjoy.
This exercise helped to prepare me for my time abroad because it made me reflect on current traits that I may have, and how they differ from others. It helped me to look at these traits in a more objective way, and to understand that it may be beneficial to view certain “norms” from a different point of view in order for self betterment. It has also shown me that even though different cultures perceive commonalities differently, it can actually be most beneficial to incorporate different norms into your daily life. For instance, having drive and ambition, but also pairing that with living in the present moment, can increase productivity, without increasing stress levels in employees.