Feeling Disengaged From Work? You Need To Read This!

how to reengage with work stoicism ideas

How to reignite your passion for work – Practical Stoic Techniques To Get You Back On Track

Not too long ago, during a caffeine-fueled chat, a friend of mine confessed that he finds working from home to be a struggle.

But he said it wasn’t the distractions at home that are the problem, it’s something far more insidious: a slow, creeping disengagement from work 

This is more common that you might think!

According to the most recent Gallup report, globally a staggering 77% of workers are not engaged with their work, with 15% being actively disengaged.

This trend has increased in recent years with data showing it’s most noticeable among remote and hybrid workers.

Why Are So Many People Disengaged?

In today’s fast-paced and digitally-dominated world, it’s no surprise that many of us find ourselves feeling disengaged from our work.

The are various reasons for this ranging from information overload and constant connectivity to a lack of personal meaning and autonomy in daily tasks.

Remote work can often make this worse leading you to feel isolated without the usual interactions of a bustling office evironment.

When you’re feeling like this, it’s natural to wonder if you should change your job or even your career.

But before doing anything drastic you might want to try a shift in perspective. 

This is where Stoic practices and teachings come into play.

The ancient wisdom of Stoicism offers timeless strategies for re-engaging with your work by focusing on what you can control, accepting what you can’t, and finding purpose even in the most challenging situations.

Turning to Stoic Wisdom

In today’s fast-paced and digitally-dominated world, it’s no surprise that many of us find ourselves feeling disengaged from our work.

The are various reasons for this ranging from information overload and constant connectivity to a lack of personal meaning and autonomy in daily tasks.

Remote work can often make this worse leading you to feel isolated without the usual interactions of a bustling office evironment.

When you’re feeling like this, it’s natural to wonder if you should change your job or even your career.

But before doing anything drastic you might want to try a shift in perspective. 

This is where Stoic practices and teachings come into play.

The ancient wisdom of Stoicism offers timeless strategies for re-engaging with your work by focusing on what you can control, accepting what you can’t, and finding purpose even in the most challenging situations.

Turning to Stoic Wisdom

There have been periods over the last couple of years where my motivation seemed to vanish almost overnight.

It was as if a fog had settled, blurring my vision and sapping my energy.

What helped me then and continues to help me now are certain Stoic ideas and practices.

They gave me a way to navigate through the haze.

I remember a clear example not too long ago.

I found myself in a frustrating situation. 

Despite my team’s concerted efforts to work smarter, be more organised, and enhance productivity, our work was often overlooked by my manager. 

Other teams, that work more in the office and are visibly busier (but less organised and productive), seemed to get all the attention and recognition. 

This percieved lack of appreciation led me to experience a growing sense of demotivation and disengagement.

I found myself spending hours on low-level tasks like answering emails and reorganising my task list, struggling to muster the energy to tackle more meaningful work.

I felt stuck in a loop of unproductivity and guilt, unsure of how to break free.

Acceptance: The First Step

The turning point came when I embraced the Stoic idea of acceptance.

The Stoics called this the “art of acquiescence” – it means willingly accepting the course of events as they unfold, understanding that there’s a lot of things that are outside of your control.

This acceptance enables you to respond to life’s challenges with calm and grace. Instead of pushing against the immovable, you can conserve your energy for actions that are within your control. 

“Things are what they are, and will be what they will be.”

– Oscar Wilde

Embracing the art of acquiescence doesn’t mean you become passive or indifferent though.

Rather, it means you cultivate a proactive acceptance and channel your efforts towards productive, meaningful actions.

This mindset shift can significantly boost your engagement and satisfaction with your work.

In my case I began by accepting my circumstances—acknowledging that my hard work might not be recognised by my manager – without attaching negativity or blame to it.

This mental shift helped me relax and freed me from the cycle of anxious thoughts and stress.

Instead of resisting or wishing things were different, I focused on accepting reality as it was and this freed up mental space to focus on what I could control.

Focus on What You Can Control

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the myriad factors that influence your work life—unrealistic deadlines, challenging colleagues, and ever-changing goals.

Yet, the Stoics remind us of a pivotal truth: you have control over your own actions, thoughts, and reactions. 

This shift in mindset can be transformative. 

‘You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.’

– Marcus Aurelius

I couldn’t change my manager’s perception or how other teams were viewed, but I realised I could change my response to these challenges.

By redirecting my focus towards what I had control over in my work, I gradually regained my enthusiasm and productivity. This intentional shift not only improved my professional life but also nurtured my personal growth. 

Reframing Obstacles as Opportunities

Shifting your perspective to view obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning is another key Stoic idea that can transform your remote work experience for the better.

‘The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.’

– Marcus Aurelius

The clarity I gained from accepting my situation and then focussing on what was in my control helped me reframe my challenges as opportunities to improve and motivated me to find new ways to excel.

When my manager didn’t recognise my work, I reframed this situation as an opportunity to enhance my organisational and productivity skills.

I realised the root issue could be a lack of proactive communication on my part. 

So I set about better documenting and sharing our activities and streamlining our workflow, turning this obstacle into a catalyst for personal and team development.

You can engage in this exercise by simply asking yourself: “How can this challenge help me grow?”

By making this reflection a habit, you’ll find that negative emotions become less frequent and less intense.

It’s about training your perception, choosing not to be harmed by what you can’t control and instead, mastering your response to it.

Daily Stoic Practices

Incorporating Stoic practices into your daily routine can help you find a renewed motivation and a deeper connection to your professional life.

One simple but very effective way I do this is using the ‘Daily Stoic‘ journal. 

Designed to complement “The Daily Stoic” book, the Daily Stoic Journal gives me a structured approach to daily journaling by prompting me to reflect on Stoic principles.

Its daily entries foster mindfulness, helping you stay grounded and focused, while the weekly themes encourage deeper contemplation, making it easier to connect Stoic teachings to life and work. 

The Final Word

Stoic philosophy teaches us to turn problems upside down and recognise them as potential sources of growth. 

By focusing on what you can control, accepting the inevitable, and reframing obstacles as opportunities, you can steadily rebuild your connection to your work and, more importantly, to yourself. 

Engaging with Stoic philosophy does more than help you re-engage with your work; it cultivates a resilient character that can withstand life’s numerous challenges.

As you apply these practices, you’ll likely find, as I did, not only a renewed sense of purpose in your professional life but also invaluable tools for personal growth and fulfilment. 

So, take a step forward with optimism and determination.

Embrace the wisdom of the Stoics and see how it can lead you to a more engaged, resilient, and meaningful work life.

About the Author

Hi My name is Steve Hall. If there are things about your life you wish were better but you have little to no idea about what steps to take to get you from where you are now to where you want to be then you’re in the right place!