The attitude we carry at work is an important catalyst to better output. We’ve heard ‘When the cat is away, the mouse plays.’ In a workplace scenario, I’ll leave it for you to figure out who’s the cat and who’s the mouse. During my school days, my parents expected me and my brother to study or do homework whenever they would step out to run some errands or visit someone. They would warn us specifically, “No watching television, while we are out. Finish your studies before we are back.” Television was a forbidden city. Can you imagine? A house left to all by ourselves, a cable TV connection that streams 30 odd channels, no one around to stop us, no one watching us or tattletale. Oh! the temptation of those really engrossing shows. Anyone remember, Mulder & Scully from X-Files or Zee TV’s Omung Kumar in ‘Ek Minute’. I mean how can someone keep their eyes on a black and white book all the time when there are plenty of colourful pictures and sounds coming out of the tube. It was temptation all around. We would obediently nod our heads and patiently wait to say good-bye to our parents and the moment we sense they could have left the building, we had the television ON! Didn’t we all cross that yellow tape when our parents were away? (somehow, I feel my folks knew it all along!) Come on! I am not the only culprit here. But if you have been ‘a stickler for the rules’, then I think you have missed one of the interesting parts of growing up. To be ‘behind forbidden lines’.
I would not recommend it to anyone now, nor am I proud of it.
(I just came up with that phrase from a movie title ‘Behind enemy lines’ …LOL). With our workstyles changing rapidly, many of us are working from home these days. In the days to come, many would continue to work from home. For some who are new to this style of operating, they could face a major temptation series. You could experience the temptation to leave work aside, remain idle, do household chores, browse the internet or chat with friends instead of working. Who’s watching right? Who’s gonna know? Our bosses are not around. Our team doesn’t see us. However, someone is watching us. We understand God is Omnipresent. He’s everywhere. He sees everything. ‘For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth ‘ 2 Chronicles 16:9a NIV® The time we spend at work needs to be dedicated to office work alone. And let me add the word ‘Sincerely’. The office resources we use – our office work hours, gadgets, stationeries etc. are meant for office purposes only. Use it with discernment, even when no one is watching you. I do understand that emergencies come uncalled. And given the situation, we are in (COVID-19 Lockdown as of May 1, 2020) there could be a chore or a personal task that needs to be handled during office hours. Emergencies have really bad timing. That’s life. How do you take care of that? Inform your stakeholders, your team and manager about it.
The more transparent our work dealings are, the more trust and favour we gain. Your team and manager will understand and appreciate you being honest. It has been my personal experience. While working from home, I have always informed and emailed about my absence or unavailability during office hours in advance, so that folks back in office would know about it. This helps proper planning of work. They trusted me with WFH and I wanted them to know that they can continue to trust me. I wanted them to know that I understand I am accountable to them. It has helped the team function effectively and my team became a great support system for me. Folks at your workplace can become a great support system for you. Be forthcoming and trust your team. Working even when no one’s watching you
Creates trust
It’s a joy to have such an individual in your team
When we step forward to do things the right way, God always makes a way for us. He promises to take us through it. You don’t have to wrestle with the temptation of evading work. Take it to the Lord. He will strengthen you and help you overcome temptation. ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. ‘ 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV® With a WFH (Work From Home) lifestyle becoming a part of us, we will be working in our house, with our family in the next room. Our folks at home are watching us. They are watching the way we work. They are learning from us. Our in-laws or parents are watching us. They may not talk about it to you. But they are watching. Our children are watching us, even if they don’t question us. Set the right example for your children.
Let them learn about integrity while they are young. Let them learn from you.
Don’t leave it for the world to teach them.
When they grow up, they would talk about you to others and inspire others to do right, even with temptations around. You can be their hero.
Let’s be our children’s role model so that they don’t have to go around looking for one. I have a fridge magnet that says – ‘Our children are watching us live, and what we are shouts louder than anything we can say’ Remember, someone is always looking up to you, even if you are not aware. Don’t disappoint them. Everyone needs a hero. You can be one! ‘You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. ‘ Psalms 128:2 NIV® Give your best to God, even when you feel no one is watching you! All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™