With the downturn in the economy and people working longer hours under more stressful conditions than before, it is easy to forget about our health and wellbeing and settle for a life of "just surviving". But by taking a step back, re-assessing your priorities, planning your life and taking action, you can live the life you always dreamed of. Here are three steps to take, in order to really experience a happy and healthy working environment.
1.
First of all, if you want to experience true wellbeing at work, the most important thing is to love what you do! Only when you love what you do can you truly experience fulfilment and happiness at work. On average, more than 50% of our waking lives are spent at work, so whatever it is that makes you happy, whatever it is you love to do, make a career out of it.
If you are not sure what you dream job would be, then just think about all the things you love to do with your life, your hobbies, your passions, your dreams or things you love to do in your free time. If you are still unsure, then think about your current job and the things you like about it, what your strengths are or what your perfect role within your company would be. The more time you spend thinking about it and writing your thoughts down, the quicker and easier it will be to work out what your dream job is. Seek and you will find.
2.
The second thing is to plan your working life. Statistics show that less than 3% of people ever write down their goals in life and if you don't know what you want out of life, then how are you going to achieve it?
When setting goals, think about what your dream life would be like. Imagine that if you woke up tomorrow morning and you were working in your dream job, what would it be like? What job would you do? How many hours a week would you work? What salary would you have? Would you be working for a company or self-employed? How much free time would you have? How many days a week would you work? How many holidays would you take a year etc.
When you create a clear picture about what you want out of life, you will tune your mind into receiving information that is relevant to your goals that previously would have passed you by. We only see the things in life that are relevant to our needs and survival. Everything else goes unnoticed. So spend a couple of times a week sitting in silence and really give some serious thought until you fine tune exactly how you want your life to be. When you know what it is that you want, then start making yearly plans on how to achieve it and ACT ON IT!
3.
The third thing is make sure you have a work/life balance. Nobody on their deathbed ever wished they spent more time at the office, but they often wished they spent more time cultivating friendships, looking after their health or spending time with their families. So think about what really is important in your life and adjust your priorities accordingly.
In life, you can create your own destiny or be a slave to the circumstances that surround you. It's your choice. What will you choose?
Toby Maguire
Toby Maguire is a Taoist Master who has spent more than 12 years in Asia studying and practicing this ancient philosophy through meditation, tai chi, nutrition, massage and acupuncture. He works as a corporate wellness advisor, instructor and practitioner of Chinese medicine at some of the top international health resorts in the world including Chiva Som, Six Senses, Mandarin Oriental and The BodyHoliday. Follow Toby on Twitter @tobymaguire www.corporatewellnessguru.com
