A day well lived – sounds so good. How often do we say this at the end of the day? On the days we have more in our hands we complaint of fatigue and the days when our plate is relatively empty we crib about monotony. Especially amidst the Mumbai hustle, one seeks activity and urgency – because busyness is a measure of the value of a person.
Courtesy the busyness almost everyone craves for some time to chill over the weekend or at the day’s end. It’s a cycle – first submerge yourself in excess work and then shrug it off by visiting clubs and restaurants. What is insane is that even after all the work and play Jack is still a dull boy – coz for Jack nothing is enough.
A day well lived is a day that provides adequate space to attend to one’s commitments (personal and professional), space to rest and recoup and space to observe and learn. Unless one has all the 3 dimensions one would end up feeling empty despite a so called occupied day. By adequate space I mean ‘No rush’. Attending to each hour with peace and an expanded time sense (‘I have enough time for everything’).
However currently, the societal standards about time and work management are so distorted that an expanded time sense looks like a rare reality. A few lifestyle changes can however alter the scenario pleasantly.
Mindfulness
Do you know what the constant sense of hurrying to the next job without properly attending to the job in hand does? It leaves you incomplete even after giving time to the current job because you were not mindful enough. Result is you are unhappy and insecure. If one gives dedicated attention to one job/one activity/one responsibility at a time with minimum multitasking, one is likely to succeed better.
Believe in time
Each one of us has the same 24 hours in a day. Yet a few achieve so much and a majority is dangerously lost in ticking their to- do list. We need to believe that the day is just enough to attend to all that we wish to. It is not a piece of some self- help book content, it is practically applicable. Just tell yourself and all around – “Oh I have enough time today, I will take my jobs one by one with peace.”
An energy aligned to-do
A doable to-do is important. One that is not too easy and not too difficult. At the beginning of the day you feel your energy and you roughly know what your day is likely to hold. In sync with the same one should plan a happy to-do. Do not try to include everything in a day, keep it alternate or twice a week so that you can give undivided attention to the job in hand.
Shift gears in case of change
It so happens that we plan something and the day turns out to be completely opposite due to unforeseen events. In such a situation do not take much time to shift gears. A plan B is not needed always, often it’s wise to go with the flow. If you resist the current, the wave you feel tired, but if you flow along with alertness there are chances you will be washed ashore.
Respect yourself
We often tend to be very virtuous towards people and work. But when it comes to self-care and gratitude towards self, we lack. There is no point in stretching yourself (physically and mentally) beyond a level. Its okay to let go mid-way, only to resume the next hour, the next day. Overwhelmed behavior often leads to more unfinished work.
Consistent doable goals go way beyond unrealistic targets. Seek what is real, cease to run behind the mythical, the illusionary… Real is a peaceful and pleasant ‘Day Well Lived.’