Positive relationships both at home and in the workplace are key to not only career success, but our personal happiness and wellbeing – inner harmony. When building positive relationships, we feel more connected, satisfied, and productive. By understanding how we interact with others, we can build and strengthen these relationships.
Our relationships and commitments can be huge sources of happiness and joy, but they can also be a source of stress and demand if not nurtured and managed well.
Our own Nicole Longley shares with us some coping stragtegies she employs to ensure she remains ‘ok’ whilst balancing her relationships and work and life commitments. Follow this link to hear how she sees this as more of a juggling act than anything else. Nicole talks about identifying which of the ‘balls she’s juggling’ is the most important and the one not to be dropped….
So what is inner harmony?
Inner or life harmony refers to our ability to blend and prioritise both our personal life and our work life so that we feel, and experience, a healthy, harmonious balance between the two.
How do I know if I’ve achieved this?
This is a very personal, individual thing as there is no hard-and-fast rule. The key is perhaps to ask yourself … “do I feel happy, healthy and in control – even though at times I may be extremely busy“. If your answer to this is no, then perhaps you would benefit from looking more deeply into how you currently balance or prioritise your personal and work demands so that you can create a better balance.
I know I don’t have a good balance in my life – what’s the potential implication to my health?
One of the main concerns about not having a harmonious balance in our lives is that eventually, something has to give, and it is very often our health that gives. The most frequent health implications associated with being overworked or over committed has to do with our mental health.
Whilst being ‘stressed’ is a normal part of life, when we become overly stressed, especially for a protracted period of time, it becomes both physically and emotionally draining. Chronic stress can then start to effect our personal relationships, our work performance and our overall wellbeing. Healthdirect provide a very useful Symptom Checker (can be used for many conditions) that lets us gain a good understanding of what we might be experiencing and what we should do about it in the short term.
What can I do about this?
If you’ve recognised that you do not have a harmonious balance in your life, then you’ve already started on the road to improvement – recognising this is the first step!
By having a discussion with your manager you might be able to identify some ways to either reduce your workload or move things around so that you are feeling more in control and able to meet deadlines. You could also have a discussion with your doctor or Assure – our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), who might be able to help identify and take you through some coping strategies to help ease the pressure.
There are also quite a few excellent external resources available:
- Lifeline online, or call 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue online, or call 1300 224 636
If you would like any further assistance, get in touch with the EAP on 1800 808 374.
Your HSE Manager can provide advice if you require support.
