is it time to relight your fire? How to fall back in love with work
Remember when this work filled you with joy & satisfaction? When you'd come into the office, buzzing with ideas and possibility? That spark might feel dimmer now, but it's still there – waiting to be rekindled. It’s not that you’re afraid of the hard work, or getting stuck in, you’ve always relished the challenge. It's just that your day to day seems so far away from why you started. You’re so busy you barely have time to think; you feel yourself frustrated by colleagues asking you things they should just know, and you wish you could just let it go. You just wish it was like it used to be, when you felt the fire in your belly, and the frustrations just rolled off you.
How You Got Here
People come to work in the charity sector for many reasons, it might have been a conscious choice, a stop-gap til the perfect job comes along, or the first job that came along, but the ones who stay tend because the work means something to them – there's satisfaction in knowing you are part of an organisation which is making a difference, the highs outweigh the lows, and you might even feel like you found a family in the people you’re working alongside.
It means you love your work; you have a real passion for it, and that helps sustain you; and encourages you to progress. But over time, slowly but surely, especially as you move up the career ladder, you find yourself wrapped up in the day to day struggles, there’s always another problem that has to be solved, and you’re pulled away from the things which would allow you to make a difference (hello budget reports, goodbye service development). It also means that work has become everything – the to-do list is long, there is always more to do, and the small things become all consuming. And because you’re further away from the operational work and the outcomes that fuelled you, and it can become difficult to see how you’re making a difference; how your daily work really is contributing to the mission.
And this can leave you feeling demotivated, detached and easily frustrated with both work, and those around you who it feels are making work more difficult or not pulling their weight. You might find yourself worrying you’ve been there too long, that maybe you haven’t got what it takes any more, wishing you could let go of the stuff that’s getting on top of you.
Rediscovering Your Why
It is possible to fall back in love with work, and to feel that fire in your belly
Intentionally create opportunities to connect with the communities you serve, beneficiaries or your operational services. I know you’re super busy, that there’s barely time to think. But sometimes time away from the desk, and the back-to-back meetings, can be your most productive time, allowing you space to reflect and think more creatively. And being with those who you want to make a difference for will help you connect back to your motivation on the days you need to.
Spend time reflecting on your values, and what these mean for you and your work. When we’re clear about who we are, and what we stand for, it’s easier to draw on this when we feel a detachment from the day-to-day work.
Remember what you enjoy about your work. Try mapping what you do day-to-day, week to week; what gives you energy, what takes you energy, and what leaves you feeling neutral? How much time are you spending on the things which energise you?
Prioritise time with colleagues which is positive. It’s easy to be sucked into a cycle of complaint and despair when the work feels hard, but who can you spend time with which will be uplifting (for both of you) and how can you celebrate the successes and achievements more often?
Remember, it’s easy to see the lows, prime yourself for seeing the positives, what you enjoy and what will motivate you.
Practical Steps
Don’t sweat the small stuff – let the things which are out of your control or influence go. Spend your time focussing on what you can control proactively.
Pepper your week with the things you enjoy, that connect you to the work. Remember that list of tasks or activities which energise you, can you sprinkle these through your week to give yourself a regular pick-me-up?
Remembering the bigger picture. Take that list again, but this time look at the things which drain your energy, how do these link to your values? How do they link to the difference you want to see for the communities your charity serves?
Write a done list – for you, for the operational work, for the strategic work, so you can see what you’re accomplishing every week
Conclusion
Leadership doesn't mean leaving behind the passion that brought you here. By intentionally reconnecting with what matters most, celebrating small wins, and making space for work that energizes you, you can rekindle that familiar spark. Your fire for this work isn't gone – it just needs the right fuel to burn bright again.