How To Deal With Co-workersThis article is Part II of "How To Be a Christian In
Workplace"
Keys To Building Better Relationships With Co-workers: Colossians 3:23; Galatians 6:9; Proverbs 12:24; 13:4; 19:15; 24:30-32; Titus 2: 9-20; 1Timothy 6:1-2; James 1: 8.
·To be interesting and liked, you need to be interested in and like others!
·Be open to others around you who can teach you more about your job!
·Care about what you do, and show you care.
·Be a pleasing and warm person, not a gossiper or conniver and schemer!
·Find an expert from whom you could learn insights about your job, so you can seek how to be better in it. No matter how long you have been there, you can always learn more, and ultimately become best you can be for our Lord!
·Avoid laziness and procrastination like plague (Proverbs 10:4,5,2:11, 15:19; 18:9)!
·Remember, your work is an act of worship, since it is God you are serving!
·Reevaluate your attitude toward your employer and fellow employees as much as you can.
·Notice others in your workplace, how you can learn from them, and how you can come along side and help them!
·Focus on objectives, not obstacles, and make sure your objectives are clear!
·Be totally honest with your time, expenses, and relationships!
·Remember your workplace is also your most effective outreach. You may not be able to verbally share gospel, nor should you on work time, but you can be a Christ-like example so others will seek you out and ask you what makes you different!
Fighting Depression In Workplace Jeremiah 29:11
Make sure you have someone in your church you can talk to and vent to at times also, such as a small group or a trusted friend. Be growing in your faith and study of Word. That will make you stronger, and will enable you to better weather storms of life. Be aware that depression is usually a sign of a deeper problem. Thus, do not afraid to seek help. Even Moses, Elijah, and Jonah suffered from depression! The real problem is not so much on how you feel, but what are root cause(s) of those feelings. Here are three of most common causes of depression--fatigue, fear, and frustration:
Fatigue! (Moses' problem) If you are a control freak, attempting to control everything and everyone around you, you will be riddled with anxiety. When you try to continue in a stressed out and hectic pace without delegating or having support, you will burn out. This will set you up for depression as well as many other problems! You cannot do it all! So, you need to be a team player, seeking out relationships and team building, not competition and antagonism. Moses' father-in-law had to teach him to delegate. (Numbers 11: 10-17).
Fear! (Elijah's problem) Whenever you try to manage all of your worries and fears, your body will break down. Instead of focusing on your depression, ask yourself, What is worse case scenario? How can I get through it with help from God and others? Are my fears realistic? How can I let go of them? Elijah had to recognize that God was indeed in control and then learn too trust Him to handle situations he was in (1 Kings 19: 1-18).
Frustration! (Jonah's problem) When you do not see a plan or purpose behind trials and activities of your life, you will get confused, and even disillusioned! Eventually, hopelessness will come in and overpower you. We, as humans, need to feel significant and needed. Thus, when we feel our life has no meaning, we will become depressed. When we finally understand God's purpose for our life, or just trust Him for it, our depression will fade fast! Jonah had to also trust that God was in control and had a bigger plan that what he could envision (Jonah 1-4)!
Sometimes, life in workplace can seem to be an endless rat race! Stop and rethink your actions, your attitudes, and your options. Search out these Scriptures on how you can improve your situation, understanding that best way we can do that is improve ourselves! Ask God to open your eyes and help you see His purpose and plan for your life. If you still feel disoriented and confused, focus on character of Christ and fruits of Spirit (Romans 12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Peter 1:3-4) that we are to emulate, as this is primary Will of God and what we are to heed! Remember, God made you. He loves you, and has something to say to you, so focus on Him and not your situation!
How To Get Excited For Work (when we usually dread it!)
When we stay in a rut or a bad situation with continual weariness and fatigue, we will lose our primary focus, be ineffective, become a stumbling block to others, burn out, or go into a depression. We will miss out on other options and opportunities, start to disintegrate into a person with a bad attitude, and even become ill!
I am mainly speaking about physical and emotional fatigue, which can turn into spiritual fatigue. There is no normal order. Each one could be one to start it off, and other two will soon follow! Thus, frustration, stress, worry, anger, guilt, indecision, unrealistic expectations, resentment, and many other negative emotions will accumulate and then compile upon ourselves to bring us down in our personal relationships, family, and our relationship to God. We, therefore, will not be able to function as He called us, nor will we be able to worship, as is our primary reason for being and existing in life! Work, which is supposed to be a tool for living and an opportunity for outreach, becomes our focus and sole life, when it is not to be so.
