When work feels like Sisyphus's rock...
Have you watched the movie Groundhog Day? In that movie, the protagonist Phil Conners gets caught in a fantastical time loop, reliving a single miserable day repeatedly. He hears the same dull song on the radio every morning, meets the same tedious people, does the same uninspiring things, all the while striving hard to escape the loop.
This last year, a lot of us have been feeling as Phil does in the movie. It has been the same thing for us too, over and over. Our days have become repetitive, mired in endless virtual meetings. Over the year, we have gone from confusion to resolution to frustration to boredom.
I hear this boredom _a lot_ in my recent conversations with folks. Now more than ever, people have been struggling with motivation, feeling rudderless, and wondering how they can find the energy to go to work, day after day.
Rising, street-car, four hours in the office or the factory, meal, street-car, four hours of work, meal, sleep, and Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday and Saturday according to the same rhythm…
-- The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus
Here are six concrete ways I have used that can help.
#1: Make a list of little things you want to do
I spend fifteen minutes of every morning writing in my journal. Some days, I make a list of three things.
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What is the one thing I want to learn today?
What I want to learn could be something relevant to my job. It could be a technical subject. It could be a YouTube video or a LinkedIn learning course in an area I have little understanding of. It could be something to help me with my leadership skills. But this something should excite me and help me look forward.
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What is the one thing I want to help someone else with?
I find that just seeing a nice note of appreciation or gratitude is a great help these days for folks. As I write my one thing that I want to help someone with, I think about the people that I want to thank and celebrate in my work or life. I think about the fabulous things they have done that I have not yet had the time to appreciate.
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What is the one thing I want to create or initiate today?
Creating something new always fills me with joy. Whether it is a meal I cook with care or an article I write or some new initiative I launch at work - igniting something to life energizes me.
Writing this list gives me a few concrete things to focus on that can bring me joy. It gives me things to look forward to, things I can accomplish and feel good about at the end of the day.
#2: Chop wood, carry water
The Zen tradition is famous for its koans - little lyrical stories that are riddled with meaning. Here is one such story: A young Zen novice longs after enlightenment, nirvana. He wants to know how he can attain it. He goes to the master of the temple and asks him what he must do before he attains enlightenment.
The master replies simply that he must chop wood and carry water.
The novice ponders the answer and continues, "And what about after I attain enlightenment?". The master replies again: you must chop wood and carry water.
Chop wood, carry water. That is all one needs to do. That is, one must do their work without intellectualizing too much. Barack Obama, in his book "A Promised Land", talks about how he had to often remind himself that he must just do his job, regardless of the frustrations and politics that plagued him.
Focus on the work in front of you. Be in the present moment. Do not overthink it and get caught up in the emotions, expectations, and stories inside your head.
#3: Remember your energy is contagious
Perhaps it is too soon to use the word 'contagious', but you get the point. Like the shimmering beam of a lighthouse at night, you are always broadcasting your energy - positive or negative - to others. So, think about what kind of energy you are sharing and how you might be affecting others.
But why should you care about others when you are feeling low? Because being less self-absorbed - and more service-oriented - is a path out of meaninglessness. When you are feeling a lack of energy, think of your teammates and how they need you to pick up the oar and row along with them. If you are a leader, think of the people you manage. What is your "contract" with them? What do they expect from you? How can you hold up your end of the bargain and not give in to despondency?
#4: Reflect on the impact of your work
There is meaning in your work, even if you do not see it immediately. If you are a doctor, it is easy to viscerally know your impact. You cure people, help ease suffering, and give hope to others. But what if you are a programmer, and your days are filled with debating if you should use TypeScript or JavaScript or if you should have a button or a link on a web page?
My advice is to go a step deeper to understand the true purpose of your work. Think about who is going to use your software. How will they benefit from it? How delighted would they be if your software is crafted with quality and attention? If it is still unclear to you how your work is helping the world, talk to people on your team that can help you make sense of it. But most importantly, strive to understand what your work is and whom it is for.
#5: Take a break
There is no question that the year has been tough for many of us. Fatigue builds on top of isolation to become a formidable wall for us to climb every single day. Listen to the science here and give yourself a break. I am a runner and I often train for long distance events. In my weekly training program, there are days of intense work followed by rest days when I give my body time to recuperate. You cannot have energy if you do not have periods of rest. Sleep well, take days off, take tea/coffee/walk breaks in the middle of days, sit with your eyes closed in between work meetings. Do whatever it takes to recover and reenergize.
#6: Reframe it as an opportunity
22 million jobs have been lost due to the pandemic last year. Experts predict that it can take over 4 years to recover these lost jobs. Financial pain felt across the globe has been enormous. Amidst this global crisis, if you have a job, what an opportunity it is for you to do something with your time, bring value to the world, and make money in the process! Replace your internal negative talk with a positive soundtrack. Remind yourself that work is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn new things, serve others, get new experiences, and do intellectually stimulating things. Reframe the humdrum or the obstacles you see in the day in front of you as opportunities.
At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: "I have to go to work - as a human being."
-- Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
So there you go: chop wood and carry water, take breaks, see your days as opportunities, understand your work's purpose, think of how you might be affecting others, and pursue small concrete actions to motivate yourself. These are some techniques I have used to stay sane and purposeful during these tough times. I hope you find them useful to reclaim the energy within you too.