“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalms 126:3 NIV
You desire to do good work and look forward to putting something great out in the world. But sometimes, the drive isn’t there. Your heart feels empty, and life looks monotonous. Each new day looks greyer than the previous one, and you’re not sure how to make things brighter again. I’ve been here many times, and it’s not a good place to be.
Remember this:
Work is not defined by the building you go to, the Slack channel you sign in to, or the cubicle you send reports from. It’s that activity you do that helps you convert your gifts and skills into value that helps others.
When this activity becomes something that you no longer wish to do, a killjoy has been introduced.
A killjoy is simply any element that takes away your joy and changes your emotions towards a thing, which in this case is work. I’ve dealt with several killjoys, and I know you have too. But there are two types I’d like to highlight in this post and share how best to tackle them.
1. Having No Time for Yourself
Self-intimacy is an important part of life. I realised that whenever my 24 hours get filled with just activities, with almost no time to reflect or think, I get cranky after a couple of days.
Time for reflection is an opportunity to recalibrate. It helps to deal with the overwhelm you feel with your daily schedule. A consistent lifestyle of radical imbalance throughout the year can take away all the joy you have left because there’s no time to smell the flowers. You’re simply just running through the meadow.
My solution to this is enforcing a morning routine with time to reflect, no matter how short it is. Yours can be the same or just find time once a week for this.
2. Being Underutilized
You know when you’re capable of doing more but all that is requested of you is just 10% of what you have. I’ve been on projects where I was either being underutilized or wrongly utilized. To be wrongly utilized is to be required to do tasks outside your strength or gifts.
I’ve had scenarios where I know I could do more but the assignments on the table won’t help me express myself the way I want to. I’ve also been in situations where I experience so much internal friction because I’m being forced into a hole that isn’t for me.
My solution to this was in two parts. The first step was to find a way to ensure I was working optimally. The second step, if the first didn’t work out, was to leave the project and move to something more fulfilling.
Killjoys are real and can be different for everyone. You are the only one who can notice when your joy has been taken from you. God wants us to be joyful because that’s the best way to represent Him at work.
Is your joy half full, half empty or empty? Look for the killjoys and deal with them.
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