![]() I don’t take breaks, because in that time I could easily have done half, maybe a whole bucket. I have to work faster, faster! Every time I have a full bucket I look at my watch to see how long it took me this time to fill the bucket. Through the day you hear people asking to each other: “how many buckets did you do so far?” “I have 15 buckets, and you?” Shit. When sorting is done, you can go back to the row. We start picking and when all our three buckets are full (2 kilograms per bucket), we have to go to the sorting station to get rid of the bad berries. I already get all kinds of stress signs when they sprint behind me to get to their spot. My fellow pickers who are in the same row but get the far end, start running to the far end to limit the waste of time they need to get there (how far is it you ask? 100 meters. It’s always a party when you get the start of a row, sunny side you don’t have to walk far, and the berries are the best. ‘Start’ or ‘Far end’ of a row, ‘Sunny’ or ‘Shady’. So why do I need to be the best, but does money not motivate me? This is the psychological struggle in which I find myself right now and that I try to understand.Īt the beginning of the day we are assigned to a row to start picking. But why? I really need the money, and I do not get extra incentive when I’m the best of my team. But being in the top 10 of my team? Yes, that is my goal. However, for me, apparently money does not motivate me (that much). People want to earn a lot of money so they try to pick as fast and as many blueberries as possible. I work at a blueberry farm in Australia and we get paid by the amount of kilos we pick (piece rate). Who would ever think that picking blueberries could stress people out? Well, it is possible. People who know me, know how competitive I am.
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