Feeling Beat Up at Work? Give Yourself a Pep Talk!

Last updated on: June 19, 2015 at 5:00 am by The High Calling

Feeling Beat Up at Work? Give Yourself a Pep Talk! 2015-06-15T05:55:55-06:00 The High Calling

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

by J.B. Wood

A friend confided that, lately, he goes home from work every day feeling like a failure.

He is in charge of a sales organization that has been slipping ever since he took over a few months ago. The pressure from upper management is tremendous. It seems like everything is stacked against him – the tough economy, internal politics, the negative morale of his people — yet every day he comes to work, sucks it up, and fights like heck to turn it around.

He hasn’t started yet with the facial ticks, but I know it’s been taking a toll.

Unfortunately, a similar refrain is playing out for many others in the hyper-competitive work world, where an otherwise mentally stable group of individuals are disintegrating under the mandate of getting more done with fewer resources while facing escalating expectations for results. Even when a win is scored, it is quickly forgotten. “What have you done for me lately?” seems to be the only message one hears anymore.

It’s no wonder, then, that the most natural order of things is to beat ourselves up with negative self-talk: “Why can’t I be more effective? I’ll never figure this out! They’re going to fire me any minute!” Thus begins a downward spiral of self-conscious stress, which leads to lost confidence, and everyone knows you don’t make good decisions when you are feeling overwhelmed with stress and negative feelings.

So, how to overcome such a gnarly beast? Well, here’s an idea.

Research shows that turning around the self talk can make an enormous difference in your ability to handle things. Treating yourself kindly through “self-compassion” can vastly improve your outlook, by focusing on the positive and being more optimistic.

Self-compassionate people have been shown to be not only happier, but also better able to cope with stress, whether it is a major life event or a minor inconvenience. Much of it involves changing our interpretation of what is happening around us, our role in it, to realize that the fate of the entire universe does not depend on us, after all. That job belongs to Someone Else.

Next time you are under the gun, here are some ways to cope:

1. Be good to yourself. Sure, taking yourself out for ice cream after lunch sounds fluffy, but the benefits are backed up by hard science. So go ahead and reward yourself for all the crap you’ve been putting up with. Get a massage. Run off to Starbucks for coffee and some light reading. Get that workout in a few more times a week. You really, really deserve it.

2. Drown the negative chatter with positive spiritual truths. Remember, your identity is grounded in God’s love. Or at least it should be. Make that your baseline, and repeat after me: “God loves me, no matter what. God is working through me, even if I can’t see it right now. God’s presence surrounds me.” Wrap yourself in the infinite security of God’s love. You are going to be okay.

3. Stop caring so much. Developing a healthy detachment will do wonders for your mental and spiritual health. There is freedom in letting go, in acknowledging that our little problem is not so significant in the grander scheme of things. Stepping back and letting things fall into the great loving abyss of God’s universal plan may be the very thing that puts it back on track. By not caring, you will ironically make better decisions, and ultimately come out the other side in one piece.

You may not see a magical resolution right away, but remember, we’re talking about what’s going on inside you, spiritually. That’s what you have control over. The rest can’t touch you.

And one more thing – don’t forget to breathe.

Post by J.B. Wood, author of At Work as it is in Heaven: 25 Ways to Re-imagine the Spiritual Purpose of Your Work, originally published at TheHighCalling.org. Image by Darlene. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr.

Work Practices

professional wellness

stress

Previous Post

June 17, 2015

Growth? What Growth?

Next Post

June 22, 2015 Disabling Autopilot, Engaging Creativity

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Current Events Interviews Reflections Uncategorized Video Posts Vocation Work Practices

Select a Month August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 December 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Gideon Moses Joshua Solomon