Dena Kirk, MBA, OTR/L, CEAS, CWCE
Administrative Director of Occupational Medicine and Outpatient
Rehabilitation Services NAOHP Board Member Chair – VISIONS
It’s January! What happened to 2021? It’s over!
Many of us are ready for 2022, while some may be feeling the tension and stress just from surviving the holiday season. As I reflect on all of the challenges we have faced, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have made a commitment to myself for 2022. I am going to make a conscious effort to find joy in the work I do, not only personally, but professionally.
Over the years, as we have grown into adults, raising children, or climbing the corporate ladder, finding joy should be easy, but along the way, I think many of us have lost our joy or our purpose. Between the constant nudges and requests, we face from emails, phone calls, apps, and the multiple social media platforms, many of us feel bombarded and overwhelmed with responding. In the past, responding within a 24-hour time period was considered appropriate, but it seems that technology has robbed us of that expectation these days.
So, what is joy anyway? According to the dictionary, joy is the feeling of great pleasure and happiness. So why do so many people experience bitterness, ungratefulness, and just a lack of joy? I often wonder if the increase in our society’s mental health and the lack of resources play a role. What robs us of our joy? We are supposed to en” joy” life, people, relationships, and most importantly, our families.
However, let’s be realistic, today there are too many distractions we face at home and at work. We are given more rules to follow and along the way, we forget how to find joy. These multiple distractions hinder our attention and presence, robbing us of the joy we should be sharing at home and at work. Here are a few practices that may help you find your joy:
1. Forgive and Forget: This is hard. We’ve all been there, we’ve all held grudges. As an occupational medicine professional, I think about the companies we have worked with in the past. You know the companies where you bend over backward trying to do the right thing to make them happy to keep their business. I know over the course of the pandemic, our staff worked 24/7 screening over 3,000 employees for a local company. We provided 18 months of continuous coverage at a relatively low cost, only to later discover they chose our competitor for their on-site services. It hurts and it’s certainly disheartening to think that all the hard work we endured hiring and staffing screeners to provide a safe work environment wasn’t appreciated. The rejection was hard to swallow on a personal and professional level. It certainly “robbed our joy,” as professionals. However, we continue to uphold the mission and values of our organization. We know our competitors cannot deliver the level of quality we provide, so we stand behind our brand, our mission, and the reputation we have within our community. When they reach out for help, we continue to provide the same level of service that we are so very proud of, and they know that. Let’s be honest, although we may forgive, I think “forgetting” is just as hard. Maybe it’s a scar? I think the scar just keeps us cautious and it is a reminder of previous practices.
2. Express gratitude: Be grateful and find joy in your everyday work. When you discover the acts of “joy,” it increases engagement and motivation in the work you do. Be grateful for the new company that utilized your occupational medicine services. What kind of gratitude are you expressing for the “wins” in your clinics? Is it the win of a new company or the win of a successfully managed work comp injury? Remember to thank your staff, co-workers, vendors, and the companies who utilized and supported your clinic over the past year. The best gift you can give anyone is gratitude. Send them a personal card but make it personal. The art of writing out cards has been lost. Jot down a personal note in the cards you send so the recipient can truly feel your gratitude through the card they read.
3. Experience presence: As you interact with others, whether it’s your companies, colleagues, or even your family, take time to build positive relationships with your presence. Leave your phone alone and engage with asking open-ended questions. Inquire about their family, the new dog, the sick relative, and their child’s college visit. “Tell me about your college visit with your daughter.” Take mental notes to ensure you have listened so you can follow up again. Compliment people and offer kind words of appreciation. I don’t care how old you get, people like to be recognized and appreciated. I promise, that offering a compliment, a kind word, and just experiencing presence, will fill your cup with joy.
4. Give the gift of yourself: When you give yourself to others, you send a message of importance, and often your time is all they need. Instead of emailing the company, pick up the phone and call them so you can hear their voice. Society has moved to an era of technology and we have lost so much with human connection. People need to communicate with others, and even a simple conversation shows a gift of collaboration and friendship. Take time to allow yourself to build relationships with the companies you work with. As you prepare your strategic plan, think about how you can modify your marketing opportunities to “increase volume” just by building strong relationships with the companies you work with. Devote some dedicated time each week and give them your time.
5. Be respectful: As we attempt to give time to others, we need to ensure that we have the self-awareness to “read people” to respect their time. It is important to acknowledge the social cues when they just cannot give you time out of their day. Be transparent and ask the right questions. “I know this must be a busy day for you, and I want to be respectful of your time, so when is the best time for us to chat?” Not everyone we encounter is going to appreciate the joy we bring. We are all wired very differently, and it is crucial to respect those who don’t necessarily find the same joy that we may experience.
6. Choose Joy: In everything you do, remember to find the “joy” in what you are doing. I promise, if you remind yourself of this, expressing gratitude and experiencing presence with others will just come naturally. I believe Maya Angelou said it well, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” May we all choose joy this year, at home, at work, and in our communities. If we choose joy, we will find joy in any situation or circumstance. I challenge you all to choose joy; I promise it is better than the alternative. I wish you all joy and happiness in 2022, and I truly hope that you have a successful year with your occupational medicine program.
