Are you tired and drained at the end of the day?
Do you feel frustrated and overwhelmed by the number of tasks that need to be done, and challenges that have to be met?
Are you feeling burnt out?
Mental stress drains your energy
You may have noticed that you get tired mostly from mental stress and not so much from physical activity.
When there are too many thoughts interfering with what you are doing at the present moment, you begin to feel overpowered and soon become exhausted.
You and I feel this way when we do our duties with:
- a strong feeling of ownership and attachment to the work, and
- expectations that the results come only in certain ways.
The feeling is: “I’m doing all the work.” “I have to do this.” “This is my job.” Or “Why do I have to be the one to do this?” And, there is an insistence that I get what I want, and things work out the way I want.
Think of a gardener who tends to the garden, doing various tasks such as planting, weeding, pruning and fertilizing with the thought, “I am making this garden grow.” He then works with expectations that the plants bloom at a certain time, have a certain number of flowers or fruits, or grow to be a certain height.
He will surely be tense and frazzled at the end of his day.
Working with the burden of ego and anxiety for the results of actions causes great stress and burnout.
Dedicate your actions
While you may not be able to control what lands on your plate, the attitude with which you do your actions is always your hands.
If you are able to do your work calmly and in a relaxed manner, you will not only be happier but also more efficient.
Right now you may feel that your energy and time are dissipated into many channels, doing various tasks at work, or at home, for your clients, or family members.
If you could direct all your energies into one channel, that would greatly simplify your life, wouldn’t it?
The easiest and best way to do this is to dedicate your actions to a higher power—call it God, the universe, All-That-is, or any name that invokes feelings of love and reverence in your mind.
Then let go of the ego, your personal likes and dislikes, and insistence on specific results.
Have the feeling, ”The Divine power is working through me in everything that I do. I offer all my actions to It.” You then do your work readily, with humility and enthusiasm.
This frees up your mind not only while working, but also keeps you calm and relaxed when the results come. No matter what work comes, who and what people say and do, won’t bother you.
You are merely an instrument.
When did the flute have to worry about the audience or what to play next? Be a flute in His hands. —Swami Chinmayananda
Daily inspiration
Do your work remembering God. – Swami Tejomayananda
To make sure that you always feel connected to the divine, allocate a time before the start of your day to quiet your mind in meditation and prayer.
Surrender the feeling of owning and identifying with things, people and situations to the universe or God.
Say a simple prayer or affirmation such as:
- Thank you for your infinite wisdom and guidance in all that I do today.
- I dedicate all that I think, say and do to you.
- It’s all you, not me, not mine.
- Thank you for using me in your service.
If you practice keeping the divine in your mind as you go about your daily duties, your work will become worship, and peace of mind will surely be your reward.
Like this post? Sign up for the free fortnightly Spiritual Solutions Newsletter and receive the latest articles, news and updates in your email inbox!
