Heske van Doornen

Hi, I’m Heske van Doornen and I write about work, well-being, and the future of both.

I dig into our common perspectives on work, explore where they come from, and see if they make any sense. I look for the ingredients to a good working life, how they got away from us, and what might help us get them back.

My perspective is informed by:

books: I read widely and love to draw connections between psychology, philosophy, economics, and spirituality. Books seem to nurture me, kick me in the butt, and keep me digging deeper.

studies: I have two degrees in economics but would not call myself an economist. My teachers used to quote Joan Robinson who said "the purpose of studying economics is […] to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.”

observation: I grew up in the Netherlands and spent two formative years in India before moving to New York. Aside from scooping ice cream and washing dishes, my working life has taken me from corporate to non-profit and from illustration to a farm.