Three Surprising Truths That Reveal How Wellness Can Change Your Work
If only we could live forever. This realisation hit me while I was neck-deep in commitments. I had been treading on water, accustomed to the kind of precarious teetering required to maintain a work-life balance. One slip threatened to swallow me whole, drowning any hope of success. After months of intensive post-graduate study and full-time work, the promise of rejuvenation became my lifeline. There has never been a more opportune time for wellness at work.
It’s no secret we live busy lives
Rapid achievements are marvelled, overnight successes celebrated, and accolades are rewarded with expansive new possibilities. We are hyper-aware that the more we accomplish immediately, the more opportunities for long term replenishing returns. There is no time like the present. Yet we are so fixated on everything we must do that we barely experience the moment. With so much to achieve, we would need multiple lives to reach our full potential.
“Wellness has become the modern-day elixir of life, a chance at eternal youth. Centuries later and we’re still searching for a cure to our mortality. ”
Now, the promise of a prosperous life is bottled, packaged and promoted as a solution to improve our wellbeing. A few purchases here, another lifestyle switch there, and you too could embody vitality.
Only after physically separating myself from this sphere of consumption, did I begin to understand wellness was not something I could acquire externally. I had been running on autopilot, governed by routine, immediate action and unhealthy habits. To revive my wellbeing, I would need to step outside of my world and look inwards.
Here are the 3 surprising truths that reveal how wellness can change your life.
WELLNESS IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING
You will no longer sweat the small stuff.
Having insight and balance comes with perspective to see things for what they are. I will be the first to admit I’m yet to reach this state of acceptance. In the meantime, I search for little tweaks to create a fuss-free day so I can focus on larger projects.
I’m the sort of person who just wants to get out and achieve everything. The less time I spend worrying about minor details, the better! Mono-tasking enables me to bulk process tasks so I can live intentionally and experience each moment. Clear away your mental clutter, and fiddly bits and make room to completely immerse yourself in the experience before you.
2. WELLNESS IS ALWAYS IN MOTION
There is no correct way to achieve wellness because it’s individual.
We are complex creatures, constantly in a state of flux. Every aspect of your body and mind is transitioning. This means a singular solution doesn’t exist because wellness evolves with your needs. Naturally, some days, you will feel better than others. Rather than giving yourself a hard time over aspects of your life that could be healthier, allow yourself the chance to shift organically. Learning to listen to what you need from a holistic perspective will positively impact every aspect of your life. Improving gradually and consistently. How? Record your healthy habits, so you can see how well you’re tracking over time.
3. WELLNESS IS FORGIVING
Let go of the expectation to do it all and instead simply be.
Take away the pressure to be everything to everyone. You are not obligated to run an empire, nurture a family, engage in charity and be socially conscious while embodying the pinnacle of youth. This relentless pursuit of an ideal life results in negligence of the one thing we should cherish most, our health. Redefining success empowers you to shape life on your terms and recognise what you already have.
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As I set aside the rose-tinted glasses of vacation mode, I wondered how much of this wellness experience I would retain. Like liquid gold, the essence of wellness seamed challenging to grasp and even harder to hold onto. One thing is for sure, this level of reflection has renewed my sense of self, a shift akin to a spiritual revival. I dived into the deepest parts of my psyche and resurfaced feeling bright-eyed and fresh-faced. Feeling reinvigorated by the knowledge of where I stood, I was finally ready to redefine life as I knew it.
How do you maintain wellness in the workplace?
All Artwork By Rebecca Flattley
