Our Coaching team take a look at the questions we might find helpful as we re-engage with society in different ways after lockdown. In this article, we look at how to re-emerge well in our workplaces.
Over the last year, we have been exposed to completely new ways of working, and whether we’ve slowed down or sped up, it’s been a rollercoaster of change. Words we’d never heard before became part of our everyday language, like furlough and shielding.
Many of us haven’t been able to work at all and have been left waiting for announcements, easing of restrictions and re-opening. Some of us have found ourselves looking for work, in some cases suddenly and unexpectedly. The social and relational aspect of work has been another casualty of the pandemic.
There has been a real shift in how we relate and communicate, either online, or from a distance with a mask. Zoom and Teams used to mean something completely different, but are now regularly used and understood.
The highs, lows, losses, and opportunities the pandemic brought have been life-changing but could they be life-giving?
The vulnerability and fragility of human life have been laid bare across the world. Our time is a limited resource, and the pandemic has limited what we could do. As our vaccinated opportunities expand, and normality looms, the time we spend at work deserves some intentional thought. You may like time to ponder on your own or enjoy talking with friends or family. There is no right way, but it is worth taking the time to consciously think about your work life.
The dictionary definition of work is: activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result. The Bible says that God worked, we were created for work, and that it can bring beauty and joy.
Reflecting on those definitions, think about or talk to someone about the following questions:
- What work do I believe God made me to do?
- How is the mental or physical effort I’m putting in bringing me joy?
- What purpose am I achieving that I am proud of?
- Do I feel of value in the place where I work?
- How do I show others they are valued?
Take a moment to reflect on your experience of working during this pandemic. What worked, what didn’t, record your success, your failures and reflect kindly on the challenges you faced. Next focus your attention on your current situation and how this unique environment is impacting your working life. Finally, project yourself forward into the future and imagine what it could hold, what would ideal look like?
Decide on a couple of concrete steps you’ll take and bring them in prayer to God.
