Work often shapes our identities. When we meet someone new, one of the first questions we ask is, “What do you do?” For those working full-time, a significant portion of their lives is spent on the job. But how often do we reflect on the role work plays in our lives—and in the lives of others?

Mary Davis, an economist and associate professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, confronted this question during her sabbatical year in the middle of the pandemic. She became driven to understand “how work interacts with the health and well-being of the people who do the jobs.”

How work affects our health

Health isn’t just influenced by obviously risky jobs, she notes, like solo lobster fishing in the North Atlantic. It’s also shaped by job stress, workplace autonomy, and whether we find meaning in our work—or not.

Davis explores these themes in her new book, Jobs, Health, and the Meaning of Work. She wrote the book, she says, to “share lessons with others who are seeking jobs that not only balance work and life but also view work as a source of health, longevity, and a full expression of life’s meaning.”

The book features stories from individual workers, including Davis herself. She recounts her first job as a convenience store clerk in rural Florida, where her boss taught her the value of hard work, and her first post-college job as a federal drug cop at airports—which ultimately sent her back to school.