EngineerHer

We often think about the engineer as a male, logical, calm, rational, data-driven being. And to be honest, there are plenty of those around. But engineering is diversifying as time goes on. (Yes, I know, I complain about the lack of diversity in engineering, but even I can see it is getting better!)

Engineers are human. Well ok, most of us are. Some, I’m not so sure about. But being human means we are also emotional, spiritual and creative. Despite, sometimes, our best efforts to hide these elements of ourselves.

And I truly believe in bringing our whole selves to work. Which includes the emotional, spiritual and creative sides.

Look, I defy anyone not to call on some kind of supernatural being at 3am after 8 hours of working on a stubborn machine that just won’t do what it should. (Please insert expletives to your own taste here!)

But, what if I could tell you there was a way to utilise some spiritual practices to thrive, not survive? What if some of the elements of spirituality could assist you in being a better engineer?

I’m not talking about my relative common commentary about using holy water or the potential benefits of another mass

So, what are you talking about?

I’m talking about rituals.

Now, if you’re anything like me, when someone says rituals, you’re thinking of random figures, around a fire, in hooded cloaks in the middle of nowhere. But maybe that’s just my reading taste. I lean heavily towards the swords and magic parts of the bookshelf.

But, really, a ritual is a sequence of actions. Now, there are formalised rituals (ahem, please see the commentary re: mass above…) but there are also informal rituals. Think of it – you probably have a ritual for the mornings you go for work. You might have a ritual for a Sunday evening to prepare for the week ahead. You might have an annual ritual to meet up with a group of friends on a given date or sporting event every year.

Yeah – these are all rituals.

Hell, even look at work. If you work in Ireland, you probably have some knowledge of the tier system for morning meetings. There is probably a cadence in your workplace for daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings. That’s ritual.

We’re talking about repetitive actions, easing the burden of thinking from certain elements of our day.

OK, so why are you adding in more ritual?

Because it can help!

Here’s the thing: you can use ritual for all sorts of benefits in your working and home life. Ritual can help reignite creativity, process burnout or stress, celebrate milestones, or even encourage you to network and connect with people!

Still don’t believe me?

Many people ritualise their social events by joining sports teams or hobby clubs. As one friend of mine puts it, “If I don’t have other people depending on me to show up, I just won’t bother. And occasionally, I do like to speak to people.”

Spending time with people in a non-work environment helps different parts of your brain ignite and process information differently. And it can give you a break from the work side of things.

I’ve been completely isolated aside from work, during certain times of my life. I could easily go from Friday evening to Monday morning without talking to anyone. And even for someone as introverted as I am, that’s pushing things a bit, when it’s repeated over and over and over again.

It got to the point where, even when I did meet old friends, I just couldn’t talk to them about anything other than work – cos there was nothing else I could talk about.

That’s no way to live!

What kind of ritual are you talking about?

This depends on what you want to achieve. Since it’s part of my gig, I’m going to focus on things that I find help with my own resilience and joy.

Because it’s my blog and I get to write about what I like.

And yes, writing this blog is a ritual for me. It helps me keep the creative side of my brain going, it helps me process things that have happened to me in the past and it engages my love of the written word.

It also allows me to offer some help to others, which makes me feel good.

So, what have I found that helps me?

I’m useless at journaling regularly, but when the shit hits the fan, I find writing things out to help me after the fact. BUt here are some other things that help me.

• A start of week plan… Now, look, I’m a firm believer that no battle plan survives the first engagement with the enemy, but also that the battle plan is crucial in ensuring the important things get done. I focus on threes: 3 Big Tasks every week to get done. Now, by Big Task, I don’t mean effort. I mean the 3 tasks that, if I get them done that week, I count it a good week.
• … and an end of week review.Yes, this too. Now, I very often combine these into one session, usually on a Friday afternoon/ evening. And the idea behind the review is: did I get my 3 tasks done? If not, why not? Are they still big tasks to get done next week? What went well this week? What didn’t go well? What am I bringing forward with me? What am I abandoning like last week’s fish? This is a great way to help me move past anything that happened that I’m not happy about.
• Start of day review. This is similar to the start of week – I identify 3 tasks to be done daily and it counts as a good day when they get done. Now, sometimes the task #1 is so big, that’s all that gets done and there’s only 1 task on the list. That’s grand. But most of the time, it’s three. Ish.
• End of day review. I mean, it’s obvious, right? What went well, what didn’t, what do I need to bring forward, what am I leaving behind? And on a daily basis I consider my daily habits as well to see if I’m happy or need to adjust something: step count, water intake, sleep quality
• Bedtime routine: not just for toddlers! Look as engineers, we can have very, very busy brains and a ritual to soothe ourselves before bed can be really helpful. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated, but it is worth considering. Trust me.
• Morning routine: now, I know there’s a lot of faffing around on the internet about the CEO morning routine… and that is not what I mean by a morning routine. I mean a routine that sets you up for the day, given your home life and work life. For me, up, out and into work works – because I can get my coffee and breakfast in work and I have no one else to consider in the mornings. If you have kids or other responsibilities? Well my routine really won’t work for you!

Those are the basics I’d consider working towards, if you’re considering starting out. But what if you already have strong rituals in place for all of these? Well…

Here’s some thoughts to consider

I’m just going to throw a list of questions here. You can consider them, journal on them, AI them, whatever you want. They are designed to help you reconnect with your inner sense, think about you as an engineer and how to create space for your that supports you in thriving. But here they are:

• What does engineering mean to me beyond the job title?
• Where in my life do I feel most alive—and what activities spark that feeling?
• What rituals already exist in my day—and which ones do I want to create?
• What does “taking up space” look like in my career and personal life?
• What parts of my work feel sacred or meaningful?
• What do I need to release to make space for joy?
• How do I celebrate my wins—and what would a more intentional celebration look like?
• What does burnout feel like in my body, and what rituals help me recover?
• What symbols or objects bring me comfort or inspiration in my workspace?
• How do I balance logic and intuition when making decisions?
• What boundaries do I need to set to protect my energy and creativity?
• What does a “ritual of renewal” look like for me after a tough week?
• How do I want to feel at the end of each workday—and what ritual could support that?
• What stories have I inherited about success, and which ones do I want to rewrite?
• If I were to design a ritual for joy, what would it include—music, movement, nature, silence?

Reclaim your whole self

Rituals aren’t a luxury. They’re a key tool in your box for holistic success. They provide a framework and a structure to work through our days. They save us from excessive decision making.

And ok, you might read this and think “Orlagh’s full of shit, here”. That’s grand, fire ahead. But I can pretty much guarantee you already have some ritual in your life. Now it’s up to you to consider those rituals critically, to see if they are adding to taking from your life.