Finding Motivation at Work Using Spiritual Lens

It’s the Tues. after a long holiday weekend. Anyone have trouble getting motivated today? I know I sure was. I had a wonderful weekend and had to come back to an inbox full of emails and some training programs to prepare. How do you stay/get motivated when you just don’t feel like coming to work on a Mon. morning or after a holiday? Perhaps you are having trouble getting motivated on any given day you show up at work.

OK, here are a few tips. From a mundane task- focused perspective:

1. You can jump in and knock out the easy stuff that isn’t too mentally taxing just to get back in the groove of working again.
2. You can decide to look for those things that interest you of your projects coming up and start working on those.
3. You can sort through the most important things to do and choose the one that most interests you, then break it into smaller chunks and do at least one of the smaller chunks that day.

Or you can shift perspectives and look at your work through a different lens. I love the metaphor of changing lenses. We always get a chance to reframe or shift perspectives on how we are viewing or approaching our work (or any other life task or issue for that matter). The lenses we use to see the world are entirely up to us to choose.

When we remember we are here as spiritual beings having a human experience, each experience we have provides opportunities for connecting, sharing, giving, loving, forgiving, learning etc. When I start to get unmotivated, I shift lenses. I don’t look at the world through my small self, my ego interests and desires. I shift to say, OK what’s here for my Spiritual Self to experience? What am I called to do in this moment? What is a lesson I can learn or provide for someone else? How then shall I serve? What would bring joy in this moment?

As a spiritual being you can always find something worthwhile to do in every moment, even if it is pausing to breathe slowly to bring you back into peace and balance. Here are some simple things you can do to remember your higher purpose, your Spiritual Self, or ways you can serve:

1. Remember that you are a loving being at all times
2. Think of one person in your office who could use a little cheering up and send them a smile.
3. Listen for what others are saying from a place of compassion rather than judgment
4. Find on the internet a good quote, inspiring video clip, cartoon or beautiful picture to share with a co-worker.
5. Chant or repeat a meaningful phrase, hymn, or poem to help lift your spirits
6. Look for ways that your talents and ideas could provide support for someone else, even if it is a very simple thing you could do.
7. Ask someone “What’s stirring in you today?” and attentively listen. Show that you care about how a co-worker is feeling.
8. Stay open to how you might be asked to play a role to help someone shift through something they are struggling with. Listen, watch, wait with anticipation.
9. Be attentive to synchronicities around you. Put out a positive thought or question about what you are to do next and then see how it is answered.
10. Know that you are always creating your external world by your emotional state, attitudes, and beliefs you carry.

See how these ideas work next time you are feeling a bit apathetic, uninspired, or unmotivated. Please share other ideas you have tried and how they’ve worked for you.

Epilogue, today my boss came in to my office and waxed philosophical about his weekend and his in-laws who were planning to visit. I could tell he needed to talk so I listened and gave him some time to share what was on his mind. I think he walked away feeling a bit lighter for the conversation.

Be a Light for those around you. It will brighten your world as well as theirs.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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