Most of us want work that’s meaningful: We want to feel that our jobs make a difference to other people and that we are contributing to the greater good.

But at a time when the world feels like it’s on fire, finding meaning day to day can be a challenge. You may wonder, what’s the point? How can you break free of this negativity — and what can you do to change your perspective on work? How can you use your skills, experience, and values to reignite your passion and drive? Who can help you find your purpose? And what can you do to use the present moment’s overlapping crises as an opening to create meaning?

What the Experts Say

Amidst a rapidly spreading and deadly virus, a global economic crisis, and civil and political unrest that’s ripping at the fabric of society, it’s hard to feel inspired about much of anything these days — let alone your job.

But while it’s understandable to feel that your work has lost its purpose, rekindling it ought to be a top priority. Having a professional purpose and an identity “gives your life meaning and motivation,” says Hatice Necla Keleş, a professor in the Department of Organizational Management, at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul. “Nothing gives you more energy than a clear purpose.” Without one, “even just getting out of bed every morning becomes a challenge.”

Luckily, reengaging with your job and reminding yourself of “who you are and why you do what you do,” doesn’t necessarily require a grand gesture or journey, says Karen Dillon, coauthor of the bestseller How Will You Measure Your Life? with Clayton Christensen and James Allworth. “There are many different ways you can find purpose,” she says. Here are some ideas.

Offset negativity

First things first: You need to address the root reasons for your feelings of meaningless. It’s likely one of the culprits is stress. In a typical day, you endure hundreds of what Dillon refers to as “micro-stresses” — minor aggravations, such as a colleague hastily disagreeing with you in a meeting, or a peer falling behind on a deadline — that affect your productivity and feelings about your job. “You are usually able to absorb these little cuts, but they are exponentially amplified [and more painful] in a pandemic,” when your usual outlets for stress — seeing friends or doing a tough gym workout — are absent. “It explains why we feel so stressed” and that our work has no meaning.

There is, however, a simple antidote. “Just as micro-stresses eat away at you, micro-moments of pleasure can help you find your way back,” Dillon says. Look for ways to feel good and uplifted: Read about real-life heroes; take a nature walk; attend a religious service via Zoom; page through an art book; or scroll through photographs of faraway places.

Keleş recommends also taking a break from the news. The constant “negativity affects your brain and wellbeing” by “exhausting your strength and stealing your joy.”

Cultivate humility

Recognize, too, that Covid-19, ensuing economic problems, and political instability “have taken an enormous toll,” and it’s hard to find meaning in your work when you’re “feeling fried,” says Dillon. Give yourself a break. And yet, while this past year has been hard, you need to remember that you’re not the only one suffering. “People are going through hard things all over the world,” she says. “Have compassion.”

To shift your perspective, Dillon advises “seeking reminders that you’re not alone and that you’re connected to bigger things.” A little self-pity every now and then is natural, but don’t allow yourself to devolve into a woe-is-me mindset. “How you view your life shapes your life,” says Keleş. It may sound corny, but practicing gratitude provides entrée to positive emotions that can neutralize the challenges you inevitably experience. (More on this later.) Keleş recommends heeding the words of Viktor Frankl, the famous Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. He believed that individuals “can find meaning in life even when they face [what feels like a] hopeless situation.”