Continued
In the comments section my friend expresses his concern about the ongoing topic of discussion that is “work life balance”. Of the many words he uses I have singled out a line that is of deep significance …..
“The lower n middle level management guys can only dream of a day when they actually get to live a day without some part of their mind constantly engrossed in work related thoughts.”
This is deeply significant ……the words highlighted as bold appear exactly in the middle of the paragraph and these lines are almost a watershed gate between two distinct thought patterns arising within the paragraph.
The first half comprises of denial (that it is impossible to achieve the balance at his current position, maybe at too junior or too senior a position but not exactly where he is)
The second half comprises of justification as to why it is so. The justification arrives immediately after the “their mind constantly engrossed in work related thoughts.” Line, with evidence being bolstered up from outside world reality.
This whole paragraph shows 2 things
1> That at some deep and subconscious level my friend is aware of the fact that most of what we call and perceive as reality is nothing but a thought process in our head (evidenced by those highlighted lines)
2> But this awareness of the power of his own mind to alter the perceptions of reality is buried out of reach under denial and forcibly locked away out of reach by the lock of justifications.
So the question arises “what can be done about it?”
And at this juncture it would be prudent to differentiate the approach or point of view towards life between the “linear – algorithmic” version and the “The urban ascetic version”.
The “linear – algorithmic” version is more chemical (chemistry intended/implied), the “The urban ascetic version” is Alchemical.
The “linear – algorithmic” version attempts to react with the surroundings, preserve itself as it is and alter the other (people, conditions, environment, and situations) it continuously perceives threat from the environment and remains skeptical and rueful about it.
“The urban ascetic version” on the other hand perceives people, conditions, environment, and situations as agents of self-transformation. It responds to all these external agents with respect and inner gratitude for they show him his own deficiencies and hence his own possibilities (post transformation).
So it is with the current topic of work life balance. When one has turned his attention inwards so much so that now no person, no condition, no environment, and no situation is deemed too overpowering or held as an object of blame he is ready for the new point of view.
And it is quite simple …….. comprising of “Mental (non) exercise”, “psychological dieting” and “Mental Hygiene”…….
“Mental Hygiene” is very analogous to the shoe rack at home i.e. we have footwear parked upon it to be worn when we go outside the house and when we come in we put that outside footwear on it and put on the home footwear. Similarly the term “Mental Hygiene” implies the shoe rack of alertness that reminds you that when at home there is no necessity to keep wearing the office thoughts and when leaving for office leave the home thought footwear at home to be picked up upon return.
Of course one would argue about the necessity of ruminating work related thoughts all through the day bolstering evidences from various situations, but if you see it clearly it would be obvious that this necessity arises from a background emotion of fear and hence attempt to control the events.
So herein comes the concept of “psychological dieting”………. Being choosy and frugal about what one thinks. No more junk thinking anything and everything that’s on the news or is happening on the planet restrain yourself to things that actually affect you and are in your control and capacity to bring about a change (your opinion about the war in crimea does not change the situation there nor are the Russians and Ukrainians bothered about it), no more binge of repetitive thought patterns. Just like the dieting with food this is an alert commitment to keeping the number of thoughts to the lowest calorie count possible. Approaching any situation with minimal, simple and effective number of thoughts.
Nice suggestion, but I am a “thought junkie” addicted to this habit of constant and excessive thinking …….
Hence finally the concept of “Mental (non) exercise” unlike the previous two concepts which were almost analogous to their physical counterparts this is almost opposite. This exercise is a sort of non exercise,it requires of you to get off your treadmill of thoughts. It requires one to willingly and with alertness shift his attention from abstractions of thoughts to the more real and organic reality of his breath or heart beat. No need to be hung up in the head all the time there are other body parts too. Be focused upon the beats of your heart, the coming and going of breaths, the tingling aliveness in your palms and feet one at a time.
As it is with the weight reduction and dieting programs to begin with everybody wants a magic pill or a onetime surgery that solves all the problems once and for all without changing our own behavior patterns and dietary habits…….but sooner or later when the determination for change dawns it becomes obvious that all the things that are worthwhile in life are a process requiring a change at the most fundamental level and that is oneself.
“The Urban ascetic” point of view towards things is fundamental too and hence it attempts its alchemy at you rather than reacting with the situation you present.
