Loving Monday: Caring Enough to Reengage
Three day weekends can bring us back to work refreshed or exhausted.
The difference between the two, interestingly enough, does not have to do with how busy you were over the weekend. The difference between returning refreshed or exhausted has to do with how much you care about what you do.
For those who care, some space from work functions like recharging the batteries. We return ready to reengage, refocus and dig in to the task at hand. For those who are indifferent about their jobs (or worse, hate their jobs), a long weekend is like a festering open wound. The pain accompanies you everywhere even as you do your best to escape it.
What’s important here is realizing that a powerful distinguishing factor between these two is in your control.
Choosing to care about your work.
Even in a less than ideal job we can find creative ways to care about what we do to whatever extent we can.
We can raise our quality game. We can choose to help a team member. We can improve a cumbersome procedure. We can go an extra mile for an unreasonable client. We can say, “Thank you” more often.
The amazing thing about caring is that no one can do it for you. It is totally and completely a personal decision, choice, and act. Caring is you choosing to show up and make a difference. Even in the circumstances of organizational powerlessness, caring is a demonstration of power.
Hence its energizing, restorative impact on our ability to reengage after being away from work. Try it.
On your side,
- Karl
