Taking responsibility at work to a new level
When we think about responsibility at work it is likely we think first about ensuring we get to work on time, completing our work within required time frames, being respectful of colleagues and clients, and ensuring we adhere to organisational policies and guidelines.
But what if there is another level of responsibility, a deeper one that is about the quality we bring to our workplace and the tasks we do while we are there?
This is something I’ve been exploring for a while now and I can honestly say that as I have deepened my awareness of the quality I bring to work, and make each day firstly about this quality, my relationship with work has changed dramatically. Work has always come easy to me and I’ve always done whatever job I’ve held to a very high standard, receiving praise from colleagues and clients for my contributions, but I’ve tended to be a somewhat uncommitted beyond what work can do for me, that is, pay the bills.
Now, as I start a new year at work I find myself more committed to work than ever before, in fact I’m enjoying going to work every day, I am more productive, more relaxed, have no pain in my back, neck or shoulders, have great relationships with colleagues and I don’t return home at the end of the day feeling exhausted, stressed or frustrated.
These changes have come about through my understanding of, and commitment to energetic responsibility. When we understand and accept that everything is energy, it is easy to grasp the fact that we live in a sea of energy and so, like the fish in the sea, every movement we make ripples out and touches another. That is, everything we think, say or do affects everyone. This means that each of us is responsible for what we leave behind for another and for ourselves to return to the next day — anger, frustration, resentment or gentleness, joy, harmony, grace. In other words, we are each responsible for the quality we bring to the workplace which in turn affects the quality of the entire organisation.
Consider, for example, how you walk around your workplace. Do you tend to move gently and with awareness of how your body feels, taking care as you open and close doors, greet people or move equipment? Or do you find yourself hurrying, head down, stressed by the amount of work to be done, and with little time to interact with others? Each of these has a very different feel, both in your own body and to others around you. Whether we are aware of it or not, walking (or any movement) leaves in its wake an energetic footprint, just like the wake a boat leaves as it moves through water, that ripples out around us and that others then walk through or feel as they sit at their desks.
In taking responsibility for the quality I bring to work, I’ve had to look at the choices I make throughout the day, both at work and at home, for one flows into the other. For example, certain food and drink can affect our quality, some make us feel racy, others can make our head feel heavy, others make us sleepy, all of which affect the way we work. The quality of our sleep affects how we feel and our ability to be fully present and productive at work. Our emotions also affect our quality so it is important to bring awareness to our relationships both at work and beyond. All of this could be described as self-care with the understanding that the way we take care of ourselves determines our energetic quality. We have the choice, indeed the responsibility, to take deep, loving care of ourselves and reflect that quality to those around us. I know developing a deep self-care has been a key element of my changed relationship with work.
What I’m discovering is that a commitment to energetic responsibility brings a responsibility for each choice I make throughout the day, be it at home or work, but it brings a steadiness to my day that supports a level of vitality and wellbeing I’ve not experienced before, and an enjoyment of work I never thought possible.