The Role of Calmness in Achieving Work-Life Balance

2 October 2023

Understanding Calmness in Achieving Balance

Lydia here! Marvelous isn't it, the charm of finding balance in your personal and professional life? I can't think of a single soul who would turn down the offer to experience enhanced work-life balance. But here's the catch, it's not as easy as a snap of your fairy godmother's magical fingers. It often feels like trying to ride a unicorn, quite a bit of wishful thinking. But what if I told you that hush, calmness, serenity... whatever you choose to call it - that's the unicorn! It's the harmony you can ride to the much-coveted work-life balance destination.

As someone who has juggled a full-time job, blogging, and a somewhat normal life (that in itself is an adventure!), I want to share with you my tips, thoughts, and yes, funny tales from my journey in seeking calmness to create the optimal work-life balance. This isn't a mystical quest, trust me. It's just not nearly as cinematic as chasing a dragon through a burning forest. But it involves quite a bit of mind training, some serious rewiring, and a good amount of humorous and light-hearted moments to boot!

The Intertwining of Calmness and Balance

Here's the thing about calmness and balance: they are not mere destinations. They are journeys. Daily journeys to be precise. An ongoing process where calmness is the sacred oasis, and balance is the intrepid explorer, recurrently locating this oasis through the tumultuous desert of everyday life. And let me be honest, this explorer does get lost sometimes! The GPS system known as mindfulness, focus, and perspective can undergo technical difficulties!

Here comes a fun fact and a funny comparison. The average amount of breaths we take daily amounts to over 23,000! Yet, do we notice even a hundred of them? Not unless we've just sprinted for the bus! Now, think of the moments you felt calm in a day. Could you list down a specific number? I bet it'd be far less than a hundred. Remembering calmness is a lot like noticing our breaths. We often overlook it amidst our daily responsibilities and chaos, but it's always there, simply waiting to be acknowledged!

Unlocking the Power of Calmness in the Workplace

For most of us, a significant part of our lives revolve around work. These are places where calmness often goes on vacation, leaving us in the grips of stress and tension. And trust me, stress doesn't take requests for breaks! But the good news is, we can invite calmness back, even amidst all the assignments, emails, meetings, and deadlines.

Transform stress-filled hours into a sanctuary of calmness through regular breaks, deep breathing, mindfulness, and intentionally slowing down your pace. Be like a tranquil lake amid a forest of tasks and responsibilities, unflustered, composed, and still productive. Amazing isn't it? This might not aid you in typing a 100 words-per-minute or make you adept at multitasking like a robot, but it's guaranteed to make your workaday less of a construction site and more of a zen garden.

Bridging Calmness and Personal Life

Coming home from work might seem like the end of a marathon, but let's be real, the race isn't over yet. There's laundry to be done, meals to cook, a pile of unattended emails, kids to tuck in bed, a dog with endless energy... I could go on! But remember, if we replace the non-stop sprint with a mindful walk, every task becomes a step towards calmness, not another hurdle in the race!

A good start to bridging calmness and personal life is by noticing our breaths, just like the fun fact we discussed earlier. Take deep, mindful breaths whenever you feel overwhelmed and watch the stress dissolve like a sugar lump in your cup of tea! Now that's a sweet thought, isn't it?

Protecting Moments of Calmness

The biggest threats to our calmness are unexpected interruptions and pushy obligations that intrude into our zen bubble. But guess what, we can get our ninja moves on and ward off these pesky invaders! Here's a quick tip: Establish boundaries, both at work and at home. Close your office door, if you have one, or stick up a "do not disturb" sign. At home, set some pleasure alone time to enjoy a book or a while in the garden.

Remember that protecting your moments of calmness isn't about alienating yourself from your coworkers or your loved ones. Instead, it's about creating a safe space where you can rejuvenate and center yourself before stepping back into the whirlwind of your roles and responsibilities.

Appreciating the Beauty of Calmness

Want to know my secret to maintaining calmness for an extended period? It's simple. Appreciate it! Just like the way we admire a beautiful sunset or a blooming flower, savor your moments of calmness. The beautiful thing about appreciating calmness is that it often settles down and stays a little longer. And any extra seconds of serenity amidst the warp speed of life is a glorious win!

Take a moment right now, close your eyes and think of a recent situation where you found calmness. It could be something as ordinary as enjoying a cup of tea or as unique as laying on a field watching the starry night. Appreciate that calmness and make it your motivation to experience it more in your daily life.

Equipping Yourself with Calmness Techniques

Mindfulness, deep-breathing, decluttering - there are countless techniques to promote calmness in your chaotic life. However, it's not just the techniques, but the consistent application of these techniques that makes the difference. Remember, calmness is not a one-time destination but an ongoing journey. Something that has helped me are yoga and mindfulness meditation. If you're wondering how to start, there are numerous online resources at our fingertips.

These calmness techniques are not magic spells that, once chanted, transport you into an eternal zen zone. They are tools that, when used regularly and mindfully, can help you navigate the tumultuous waves of stress and workload, guiding you towards the shore of serenity and balance.

In a nutshell, calmness isn't just an imaginary oasis, but a tangible reality that we all can achieve. The daily journey towards this serene state is what leads us to the long-awaited work-life balance. So, next time when life feels like a unicycle juggling fest, invite calmness into the act. Trust me, it'll be quite a show!