emotional labor

American  

[ih-moh-shuh-nl ley-ber] / ɪˈmoʊ ʃə nl ˈleɪ bər /

noun

1. the sum of small acts performed by one person to make other people’s lives more pleasant and to protect them from negativity, including hiding the effort required to do so.

2. the suppression of negative emotion and the assumption of a polite and cheerful facade at work, especially by employees in the service industry, as waitstaff, flight attendants, sales clerks, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of emotional labor

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

Teachers must also shoulder emotional labor in addition to knowing their subject, whether it’s history, math or English, inside out.

From MarketWatch

The emotional labor of sorting through a loved one’s possessions and, especially, their paperwork is easy to overlook.

From MarketWatch

Moving forward, my emotional labor is to make sure that I remain full — full of creativity, joy, faith, emotional health, esteem, curiosity, rest, courage and the vibrancy of life itself.

From Los Angeles Times

Loving a dog like Ivy is a profound act of emotional labor.

From Salon

The emotional labor needed to deal with 2025 is like a rotten, toxic relationship, and I’d rather hide out in my cozy apartment from the looming monster.

From Salon