A Personalized Meditation Guide For Workaholics & Professionals

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Workaholism has become such a huge problem in today’s world that the issue can no longer be swept under the carpet. According to statistics, 27% to 30% of the adult population are facing the problem of workaholism. The dilemma is that many people see workaholism as dedication and commitment to work so they do not discourage it. 

In fact, it impacts a person’s life completely. For example, it decreases health, lowers sleep quality, and increases the chances of mental illness. In this way, the individual can face depression and anxiety issues. There is no doubt that it lowers relationship quality as workaholics stop investing time in close connections. Research has also shown that workaholism is associated with different disorders like addiction, ADHD, and OCD. 

 

How Is Meditation Significant For Dealing With Workaholism?

We know that meditation has the power to improve the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Likewise, it is helpful for dealing with the problem of overworking. 

Different signs of overworking include frequently thinking and coming up with strategies to find more time for work. There are also the signs of neglecting health and avoiding time with loved ones. Meditation exercises encourage the practitioner to calm down their racing thoughts and deal with unpleasant feelings effectively. It results in more inner peace, an improved mindset, more self-awareness, and better decision-making skills. Consequently, the person can deal with workaholism efficiently through meditation. 

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What Are The Different Causes Behind Workaholism?

Overworking can have multiple origins for example, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes. The cognitive cause tells that a workaholic continuously thinks about work and if they suffer from OCD, it becomes their obsession. They feel agitated and anxious when they are not working. In order to deal with those unpleasant feelings, they keep working. Sometimes, they have huge problems in their lives that make them uncomfortable, and overworking becomes a suitable distraction for them (avoidance strategy). Furthermore, on a behavioral level, people want to keep working because of habit formation. 

 

5 Benefits of Meditation For Professionals

1. Reduces Stress

Meditation exercises are widely known to reduce stress efficiently. Multiple types of research have shown that Meditation practices (e.g. mindfulness meditation) are excellent ways to improve the symptoms of anxiety. Another research published in NCBI concluded that meditation exercises are useful for tackling daily life stressors. 

 

It is commonly known that workaholics and professionals go through high levels of stress due to work. No doubt, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and any other meditation technique have the potential to decrease cortisol levels in the practitioner. 

2. Boosts Creativity 

Meditation practices are suitable to enhance creative thinking and skills. It is possible because meditation improves the quality of focus and concentration. Moreover, it strengthens the connection between the right brain and the left brain. The right side of the brain deals with emotions, pictures, and colors whereas the left side tackles logical and analytical aspects of anything. With an improvement in mindset and quality of concentration, the practitioner is able to exercise divergent thinking. It is a kind of thinking that motivates one to come up with creative and various solutions to a problem. 

In a professional setting, it is one of the most valuable skills. It is because the individual is able to solve problems effectively. Different scientific publications have supported that meditation boosts creativity. 

3. Improves Clarity of Mind

We all know how important mental clarity is for making reasonable decisions in the workplace. Meditation not only decreases stress and enhances creativity but also improves the clarity of mind. As we know that meditation exercises have different bodily movements and also include breathing exercises, so they are perfect for the purpose. 

How does one lose clarity of mind? It occurs because the individual is not able to organize their mind because of stress. Sometimes, the individual does not have self-awareness which messes up their priorities. Meditation helps with the clarity of mind by enhancing self-awareness. Increasing self-awareness is about becoming more clear about your strengths, weaknesses, and life goals. Research published in NCBI showed that mindfulness meditation is a great strategy to boost the clarity of mind. 

4. Decreases Absenteeism

When life feels under control and the individuals are able to accomplish their goals, the employee feels motivated to go to work. They are able to invest their mental and physical energies in their work. In this way, their level of productivity increases and absenteeism decreases. 

Furthermore, research published in Research Gate has shown that meditation practices improve the symptoms of anxiety and depression. On a physical level, they are great for dealing with chronic pain, stabilizing blood pressure, and improving heart health. Consequently, the employee who regularly practices meditation does not take the days off frequently. 

5. Increases Productivity 

It has become clear by now that any employee gets a boost in their productivity because of the mental, physical and emotional benefits of meditation. More productivity means more career growth and it also means financial growth. Is there anyone who does not want such positive outcomes? I think everybody wants a successful life. Thus, meditation is a critical way to increase productivity.

Note that the above benefits are also powerful in reducing workaholism. It is like killing two birds with one stone.  

 

More Tips to Practice Mindfulness At Work

  1. Find a distraction-free space in the office. 
  2. Start with a 5-minute session initially and build up to 30 minutes. 
  3. Whenever the focus wanders, do not force yourself or belittle yourself for it. Do your best to be gentle and kind to yourself. 
  4. You can schedule it on your calendar. Try to stick with the time so that it becomes easier to follow for a long-term and sustainable change.
  5. You can also use cushions for comfort and positive affirmations for two-fold benefits. 

Conclusion

Meditation exercises are not complex sets of movements. But they can seem impossible to beginners. Taking help from a professional can help them deal with personal issues and carry on with the practice. Fortunately, workaholism can be dealt with meditation practices. They can easily increase internal strength and restore balance to a person’s life. In the end, courses offered by Ofcourze are excellent for enhancing work-life balance. 

Read More: Why Meditation Techniques Energize You For The Whole Day

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