Between bites of kimchi, my friend told me about her goal of developing a weekly rhythm at work. She pinched a clump of rice between her chopstick and explained that this would increase her productivity.
As I drove home, I ruminated on the taste of garlic and the differences between our jobs. My friend depends on weekly and daily goals to keep her from drowning in a sea of details. I don’t have that problem. Each morning I find a schedule laying on the mahogany desk–my marching orders for the day.
Photo courtesy of Marsha Galyardt via creationswap.com
One of the perks to being a nurse practitioner is that when I sign off on the last patient’s chart my day is done. No long-term projects to bleed into my weekend. No need for goals to organize my time.
One simple challenge dominates each day in a medical office–a race against the clock–thinking fast and typing faster in an attempt to stay on schedule and leave the office early enough to skip McDonald’s and cook a real dinner at home–with vegetables.
This leaves me wondering–for those of us whose jobs lack long-term projects, what are we working toward? The next pay raise? A vacation to Europe? Retiring in thirty years?
When we limit our work to productivity goals and a paycheck, we shortchange ourselves and the quarter of our lives that work absorbs. But, work is more than that. When we find out that our coworker proposed to his ex-wife over the weekend–that’s part of our work-life. When we fume over a client who makes unreasonable demands and consistently sabotages our schedule–that’s part of our work-life. When we have to make a decision under pressure and wonder if praying about it would make a difference–that’s part of our work life.
These areas of our occupation deserve just as much attention as our professional goals. If we want to increase our significance and satisfaction at work in 2015, we would do well to set goals in some of these less traditional categories:
• work relationships
• character development
• spiritual integration
As I think through these things for myself, I’ld love your input. What work goals have you set for 2015? What type of goals could be set for these non-traditional categories?
I remember once a dear Christian brother shared that we are ambassadors for Christ in the disguise of our profession. Our profession is only the means for our Lord to place us where He needs us to share His love with the world. I wish I had seen some of these things when I was younger. Learning to see that in the light of Christ our work is as important as the work of those in so called “full time service”. For sure our goals cannot be
quite so human oriented…the raise, the vacation, the promotion, the accolades. In music, we always wanted those accolades. I have often wondered how we balance striving to be professional in our careers and yet staying focused on CHRIST first and foremost. A tough one for me.
Pat, the idea of being an ambassador of God’s love to coworkers and clients definitely adds a deeper focus for work. And, I appreciate you highlighting the tension that can be felt between wanting to succeed in our professional careers and focusing on Christ. I’ve been interested to learn that Martin Luther and the Reformers didn’t seem to feel that tension quite as much as we sometimes do. In reaction to the monastic tradition of the Catholic church (i.e. “full time service”), they stressed the inherent goodness work and its value to God. Perhaps we need to reclaim some of that. Thanks for your thoughts!
For me, practicing hospital medicine means constant demand – from patients, their families, nursing staff, consultants, the ER, and the clock. I find myself just wanting to hide so I can finish my charting and go to the bathroom. If I can do more than check off my list, and have the mindset that I’m here to serve all felt and unfelt needs to the best of my ability, I think I may find even greater purpose in my work. Yes, I may get home later, I’ll be more emotionally and physically drained – but didn’t Christ pour himself out on this way? This is a way I get to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him.
Joy, this is challenging…”Yes, I may get home later, I’ll be more emotionally and physically drained–but didn’t Christ put himself out in this way.” It’s easy to feel entitled to limit myself to the minimum required of me, but like you said maybe the deeper purpose comes with deeper cost. (The conversation in the blog took place at a restaurant next to Super H Mart, which made me miss you!)