When did comfort become a dirty word? That’s a question this Philosopher-in-Residence has been reflecting on this week.

The dictionary definitions talk about freedom from pain, being at ease, alleviating emotional distress. Common parlance, on the other hand, has other ideas.

Comfort eating is blighted with judgement about one’s control, self-discipline and mental state.

“Got comfortable” frowns upon an employee removing their nose from the grindstone.

And, although we like to think that this United Plandom is a special place of its own, we can’t avoid the British class debate – where “living in comfort” is equivalent to declining salt with your earth.

As a languages graduate, the evolving use of language has always fascinated me. My joint honours was with social science, however, and those who, like me, have lived both pre- and post- globalised hyperconnectivity, also raise eyebrows and concerns at emergent tendencies to name, shame and blame increasing aspects of everyday life.

Your homework for the week is to get comfortable, in a positive interpretation of the word, enjoy yourself, reclaim the word, and even report back to the good ship MMAP with your feedback if you like.

Next fortnight, I’ll be musing On Top. Make sure it’s at the top of your bookmarks for Thursday 2^nd February (absolutely no apologies for the pun).

Please get in touch with any particular aspects of this subject you’d like me to write about.

In the meantime,

Happy Planning

PS If you want some other free tips for your business life, check out the Working Well blog – out fortnightly on Wednesdays, courtesy of Make Me A Plan’s Productivity Expert, Penny Le Kelly. Browse the latest edition here:

https://www.makemeaplan.com/news/2023-wellness-is-1-on-the-agenda/