Feeling Disconnected at Work? Start With These Questions

Our relationship with work is shaped by the experiences we have inside it. The projects, the setbacks, the conversations, the quiet wins. When we pause to reflect, we begin to harvest what those experiences are actually teaching us. Everything we go through at work can offer insight — not only into what we do, but into who we are becoming.

At Hyper Island, we apply experiential learning in our education. The same principle applies to our professional lives. We have an experience, we reflect on it, we draw insights, and then we adjust. In our methodology, this is described through The Learning Spiral — a continuous cycle of doing, reflecting, and refining.

Work, just like learning and growth, is not linear. It’s iterative. And our relationship with it evolves as we do.

To explore this further, you might reflect on a few guiding themes:

1. Challenges

What challenges are you currently facing in your work? How are they affecting you — professionally and personally? What might they be trying to teach you? Can you identify a moment when you moved through difficulty instead of around it? What helped you do that? In what ways have these challenges contributed to your growth and development?

Challenges often shape our relationship with work more than success does. They can either create distance — or deepen our resilience and self-trust.

2. Achievements

What recent achievements are you genuinely proud of? Were there any unexpected successes? How did they come about? Were there moments that surprised you — small wins that mattered more than expected?

Sometimes reconnecting with work isn’t about changing direction. It’s about remembering what you’re capable of — and acknowledging the progress you’ve already made.

3. Personal growth

How are you growing right now — through your work? In what areas do you feel you have made the most progress? Has your definition of success changed? How does your work influence your well-being? Where does it energise you — and where does it drain you?

And perhaps most importantly: Is your current way of working aligned with the person you’re becoming?

Another way to explore your relationship with work is to choose one meaningful experience from the past few months — positive or challenging — and reflect on it:

• What actually happened?
• How did I feel, and how did I react?
• What did this reveal about what matters to me?
• What can I adjust going forward?

Gratitude is more than saying “thank you.” It’s about noticing what is already supporting you — in your work and in your life. Small moments, small wins, kind people, good conversations, and the parts of ourselves that keep showing up even when things feel messy.

Taking time to reflect on what we appreciate helps us build a mindset of connection, perspective, and self-respect. And like any relationship, it grows stronger the more attention we give it.

Whether it’s the warmth of the sun, the support of a friend, a moment of progress at work, or simply getting through a hard day — acknowledging these things can shift how we experience life. It doesn’t remove challenges, but it helps us remember that there is still light alongside them.

Spending just a few minutes on gratitude each day helps me stay grounded and present.

Here are a few simple questions to reflect on:

• What is one thing I appreciate about my surroundings right now?
• What is one thing I appreciate about myself today?
• What is a moment from today that I’m thankful for, no matter how small?
• Was there an interaction or conversation today that left a positive impact on me?

In my own reflections, gratitude often shows up in small things like “the snow falling into the water outside the window,” “staying home reading all day,” or “my partner made pancakes.” One thing that comes up almost every week is “the sauna and the water.”

It reminds me that joy doesn’t always have to be dramatic. Sometimes it’s just a quiet feeling of being present — a small twinkle of happiness in an ordinary moment.

In a chaotic world, I think we need more love and understanding, fewer things, and more connection. And it starts with what we choose to notice. Gratitude is one small way of practising that — with yourself, and with the people around you.

If you want to take the reflection a step further, here are a few questions to explore:

• What are a few moments from the past months that I feel truly grateful for?

• What personal learning or growth am I most proud of right now?

• Are there any relationships (at work or outside of work) that I feel especially grateful for? Why?

• What do I appreciate most about myself as a person today?

Energy follows attention. What we focus on tends to grow — whether that’s stress, motivation, connection, or creativity. And in a world that constantly pulls us in different directions, choosing what deserves our attention becomes an act of leadership.

Intentions are a way of doing that. They help us pause, reflect, and decide how we want to show up — not just at work, but in life. Not as a fixed plan, but as a direction to return to when things get messy.

Because where we are today and where we want to go next is shaped by both external circumstances and internal choices. And while we can’t control everything around us, we can choose how we respond.

Intentions help us reconnect with what we can influence: our mindset, our habits, our boundaries, our relationships, and our sense of purpose.

So instead of asking “What should I achieve?” we can ask something deeper:

• Who do I want to be in my work life right now?

• What kind of relationship do I want to have with my work?

• How do I want to feel when I start my day?

• What do I need more of: courage, rest, clarity, playfulness, confidence?• What would it look like to take one small step toward growth?

And maybe most importantly:

What is alive in me right now, and what deserves my attention?

If you’re reading this, see the time you set aside for reflection as a gift. And be kind to yourself. Growth doesn’t require harshness — it requires honesty, patience, and self-love.

If you’d like support along the way, our free Toolbox includes exercises and tools to help you reflect, set intentions, and turn insight into meaningful action — both professionally and personally.

Because reconnecting with your work — and with yourself — rarely requires a dramatic change. Often, it just starts with one honest question.