What Italy Can Teach Us About Work/Life Balance

As an American expat who has been living in the south of Italy for the past three years, I’ve picked up on several differences in the way Italians value work compared to the American point of view.

You’ve already heard of la dolce vita…it turns out it’s a part of the culture that Americans could stand to emulate. Here are a few of the practices and mindsets I’m working to adopt in my new home.

1. You Are Not Defined by What You Do

Go to a cocktail party in the U.S. and inevitably, one of the first things a stranger will ask you is: “So, what do you do?”

We’re obsessed with our jobs, and we wear them as masks that define us. Italians, on the other hand, don’t identify themselves by the work they perform. In fact, it’s rare that I talk about work with friends here.

Italians, instead, are more keen to talk about what they’re into. Often, this means what they ate or what they’re planning to eat! They also talk about the animals they’re raising, the weather, and the latest gossip.

I think Americans could stand to dissociate a bit from their work. After all, we a...