The energy expended to control your feelings when dealing with other people, particularly in the workplace.
That customer was such an ass! I should be getting paid extra for all of my emotional labor!
by OkiShisa July 9, 2018
Get the Emotional Labor mug.
A feminist notion that emotions are somehow hard work, and that they should be financially compensated for them. Men don't seem to have a problem being nice to people, and are rightfully perplexed when women use this term.

Given the amount of emotions a normal woman has every few minutes, about virtually everything, emotional labor seems to be an oxymoron.
"Omg, Brad's such a bad manager, he doesn't recognize all the emotional labor I put in, trying to be nice to customers all the time!"
by AntiSuffragette October 11, 2018
Get the Emotional Labor mug.