We’ve all been there: the approaching deadline that puts everyone at work on edge, last minute changes and adjustments, a department that won’t give you the latest update you need, a supervisor breathing down your neck. The stress is high. The tension is even higher. The chaos is real. All you want to do is leave and crawl under your bed and forget about everything.
It’s inevitable to have moments like these in our life. Yet, I dare to say that at times, high stress moments are necessary to make the peaceful moments more precious and enjoyable. What do we need to do to transform those taxing moments into more harmonious times?
Seek peace in God
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
When we remember that we are on this earth to love God and not the world, our perspective can change. God invites us to seek him to give us the ultimate peace. While there are tools and strategies, we must keep in mind that inviting God to help us carry this stress should be our first action. A simple “Jesus, I need you and trust in you” prayer can calm you down and ease some stress.
Next time while you’re stressing at work, try taking a moment to yourself, close your eyes and repeat that prayer five times slowly. God is here for us and wants to help carry our loads and comfort us. Are you able to surrender and trust he can give you peace?
Kindness always wins
There’s no doubt that we spend a lot of time with the people we work with — between zoom meetings, phone calls or work collaborations, we’re constantly engaging with people from work. We have our own work communities that, whether we are aware or not, affect us every day. When similar situations as described initially happen, people’s egos and attitudes can come into play.
Conflict at times brings out the worst in people. I invite you to seek to do an act of kindness instead of engaging with the stress. It could be something small like bringing donuts to the office or sending a five dollar Starbucks gift card to someone from your team. Or it could even be taking a break and going for a walk and genuinely complementing strangers. When we decide to counter a negative emotion with a positive action, we can build a habit of kindness and positivity that will help us in the midst of chaos.
Remember the saints
Part of the beauty of our Catholic Church is our community of saints who can intercede and help us become holier beings. All saints had their struggles on earth, their vices, their moments of grief and intense stress. They were just like us. They had jobs and some probably had demanding bosses who often required a lot from them.
A great tip to finding peace in the midst of chaos in the workplace can be to invoke them to help you and to act as they did. One of my favorite saints is, coincidentally, the Patron Saint of Workers: St. Joseph. I like to imagine him as a selfless hard worker — as a carpenter, he sacrificed a lot for his family. Imagine this scenario: Maybe the wood he used for a set of chairs was rotten and the chairs were faulty. He couldn’t get enough wood to restart and finish the task on time so his clients were disappointed. Can you imagine how he might have handled that situation? I’d like to think that despite it being hard, he kept his composure and fought to preserve his peace. Life happens to all of us, but how we react and choose to proceed is up to us. Don’t let the stress rob you of the tranquility God gives us. I like to imagine him coming home to his holy and beautiful family, forgetting about work challenges, and enjoying what truly matters. He knew who was waiting for him at home.
Think about what brings you JOY and PEACE. Do more of that intentionally. While we can’t avoid conflict and stress at work, we can always remember what helps us find that peace in the midst of chaos. Celebrate the good moments and offer up the tough ones. You can do it!
Gaby Hernández Franch is a dedicated marketing and publishing professional who enjoys helping others share their amazing stories, and supports clients with their brands and projects. She was honored with a 30 Under 30 Award from the Publicity Club of Chicago in 2020 and 2021 and is 3x author in various book series: Today’s Inspired Young Latina and Hispanic Stars Rising Vol. II and most recently her own book titled SMILE.
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