Mind over Managing | Back to work, but did we ever leave?


Work can be a beach, so make it your own beach (Photo: Colourbox)

So, one of the best Danish summers in years is drawing to a close, and many of us will have recently enjoyed the dubious pleasures of a return to work after an extended break.

We’re never off the grid
Until a few years ago, this would have meant spending a day or two getting to grips with a mountain of emails, catching up with whomever you arranged to check your inbox, and generally reacquainting yourself once again with the logistical realities of working life.

Smartphones and the prevalence of wifi access at holiday destinations across the world have changed all of this. You are now always connected to your inbox, always contactable.

For many it seems to have even become a badge of honour that you are “never off the grid” , with clients reassured that even though you may be on vacation, you are “always contactable”.

The death of the holiday
So where does this leave the traditional notion of holiday being a time when you can disconnect, de-stress and relax?

It undoubtedly means that the break in communication we once enjoyed from work effectively no longer exists.

But it’s not all bad – there are benefits to being able to keep on top of your inbox on the beach, from underlining your commitment to alleviating the struggle on your return.

Besides, it’s not like vacations are always stress-fee – especially if you have young kids. 

But however we choose to spend our holidays, it is vitally important that we find a way to refresh and reinvigorate ourselves.

Mindfulness to the rescue
Mindfulness teaches the importance of simply stopping what we are doing, paying attention to what is happening right here, right now, and accepting what we find with compassion, thus stopping the mind’s constant forays into the present and the past and bringing us back to the present moment.

Being there, fully present in the moment, provides a deep sense of connection with where and who we are, bringing clarity to the focus of what we are doing with renewed vigour.

It’s a genuine and precious respite from the tumult of the everyday – whether we are at work or not.

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