How can we de-stress ourselves in today’s high-pressure work environment?

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Sudeep Naik

Question: How can we de-stress ourselves in today’s high-pressure work environment?

Answer: Everybody has pressure. Some environments have more pressure some less, but everybody has pressure. Often, if our job does not create pressure, our mind creates it. Just like people work throughout the week and in the weekend, they take a break to relax or rejuvenate. Similarly, we need a break from our mind. Our mind is constantly churning thoughts – do this, do that, what about this, what about that etc. If we can put the mind on silent mode like mobile phone, we can rejuvenate ourselves.

In different traditions, different methods are taught for taking break. Some people do deep breathing. Doing so they experience that by becoming conscious of breaths, they can break certain level of centering. Some people use breathing along with some affirmations – “there is a plan, everything will work out, I can face whatever comes in my life”. Different people use different affirmations, these affirmations make us feel positive. We chant a mantra, which is a spiritual affirmation. The mantra is Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

We all are units of finite consciousness (part) and there is an infinite consciousness (whole). We are parts of the whole. Hare, Krishna and Rama are different ways of addressing the whole. The mood of this mantra is that “O Part! Return to harmony with the Whole”.

When we are going by a flight, we are worried whether I will reach on time , whether I got my passport, whether I got my boarding pass etc. However, we do not worry, whether the pilot is drunk, whether plane has enough fuel etc. We know there is a complete system which will take care of that. We need to do our part, and then there is a system that takes care of the rest. The mantra is a spiritual affirmation that helps us to understand our relationship with the whole – O Part, do your part and the Whole will take care of the whole.
We find this mantra quite helpful, but all of us need to find out a way in which we can best rejuvenate any task. The key principle is that we need to distance ourselves from our mind to get a break. How most effectively that break can work out need to be found depending on what works best for us.

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