No matter the line of work, work can be stressful. Whether it’s at home or at a workplace, stress can seep in and have a negative impact on what you do, making you less productive or perform worse in your job. A study on the impact of spiritual interventions at work from Wiley finds that spiritual interventions do create positive results in reducing stress and other negative outcomes.
This is where spirituality comes in. To be a spiritual person means being connected to something bigger than ourselves, and being open to that connection. People are spiritual in different ways, and for some, spirituality helps their search for meaning in life. In the context of career and work, the term “workplace spirituality” means a work culture that encourages a sense of purpose through meaningful work.
When you take the steps to find meaning in what you do, the work becomes less stressful, and it feels less like work. So let’s explore some of the ways in which spirituality can guide you through your career.
Reinforcing value systems
When you open yourself up to spirituality, you allow yourself to be more in tune with your ethical and moral values. This is important both for your growth as an individual and in your career. If you’re feeling dissatisfied with your work, it’s crucial not to simply chalk it up to burnout or fatigue.
This write-up on moral injury from Harvard Business Review show that changes in the way we work have put more focus on people’s insistence to uphold their moral values in the workplace. If you’re at a point in your career where you feel doubtful about what you do, ask yourself if your work aligns with what you believe in morally and ethically. Only then can you allow your work to have meaning.
Finding time for reflection
More than morals and ethics, spirituality is all about being in tune with yourself, knowing what you want and what you deserve. People who aren’t spiritual don’t give themselves the time and space to reflect on these things, and often find themselves stuck doing the same things in their career.
Insights on career plateaus by LHH show how important it is to ask yourself: “If I’m feeling stuck, what is the cause?” Are you looking for more money, autonomy, position, challenges, or opportunities? Then, check in with yourself to see where you may be holding yourself back. Honestly reflecting on your career can help shine a light on what may be missing, and what needs working on. Career plateaus happen, but being able to identify and find ways to resolve them starts with the simple act of reflection.
Embracing flexibility
A lot has changed in how we view work in recent years. If you want to keep up and continue to grow, you need to be flexible and value flexibility at work. In fact, Americans currently value work flexibility as much as they do pay raises.
Practicing spirituality comes hand in hand with honing that flexibility. Changing your outlook on life and work, as well as being open to signs from the Universe is part of the pursuit for spirituality. Ultimately, workplace spirituality also aids in making you less trapped by patterns and routines that may cause stress or fatigue down the road.
Persevering no matter what
Speaking of being open to the Universe, we talked about the importance of perseverance in a previous Spirit Sherpa mini-podcast episode, and why it’s crucial to address the Universe and say what you want to do — before setting out to do it.
This “come hell or high water” attitude is crucial not just in your spiritual energy, but in your career growth as well. Setting goals for yourself and focusing on achieving them will set you in the right direction, instead of sticking it out at a draining job.
