Redefining Success: 4 Tips To A More Balanced Life

by Archana Premnath, Consulting Services Manager (biz-group)

I recently had the opportunity to attend a keynote by Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor of Huffington Post. She spoke about the need to redefine what it means to be successful in today's world, and how it wasn't about how big your salary was or if you managed to capture that corner office. When success is defined in those terms only, we are slowly sentencing ourselves to a life of burnout and illness.

Her words struck a chord, as though they were directed at my life. I felt like I was on the move constantly – from one task to the other, not getting anywhere any faster, yet constantly in a state of hurriedness. Always short of time, feeling drained of energy and not as productive as I would like to have been.

Interestingly, almost everyone I spoke to after the session felt exactly the same. It affirmed everything that I had just heard, i.e. the need to redefine success and what it means to live a good life being a widespread longing for so many of us.

Times are changing and the way we lead our lives need to change now more than ever. As stress related illnesses are on the rise, we need to stop and re-evaluate our lives and ask the question - what does living a good life truly mean?

In the end, it doesn't matter how much worldly possessions you have acquired. What will matter is the happiness you've achieved, the experiences you've had, the knowledge you've gained and the people whose lives you've touched.

I've listed some of my key take away from Arianna's keynote and her best seller Thrive, that I believe can truly help us in our quest to achieve a more balanced and successful life:

1. Get More Sleep
In our race to get ahead of the game, we are constantly depriving ourselves sufficient sleep. Research has shown that sleep deprivation also affects our personality, self-regard, interpersonal skills, creativity, productivity, positive thinking and our ability to make decisions.

Some of worst mistakes you have made could probably have been avoided if you hadn't been so tired. When you are burned out, it's much harder to see the opportunities or the dangers that are in front of you so you need to create a sleep pattern that works best for you. Try not to reach for your phone the minute you wake up, take a few minutes (trust me there are a few minutes) just for yourself, to breathe and reconnect.

2. Be Truly Present In The Moment
With advances in technology, accessibility to the world around us has become a lot easier than ever before which is great, however, we now find ourselves with a new issue – being partially connected to the present. Learn to switch off for a while.

Be present for the people around you, watch your children grow and experience the world as it should be experienced. Disconnecting helps you to connect with the world a lot better, as you will be more connected with your thoughts and passion. Next time you are on a holiday – don't just leave work behind; try taking a 'holiday' from your smartphone as well!

3. Start A Gratitude List
Every day, list ten things that you are truly grateful for. List the things that happened, but also make sure you list those that you are grateful didn't happen. Find meaning to these 'disasters' that didn't happen, and draw strength and knowledge from them.

4. Be A Go-Giver
As human beings we are wired to give, our body rewards us for our acts of charity. Studies show that those that do volunteering work feel healthier, experience lower stress levels and feel more connected with the world around. Start making small gestures of kindness a habit and notice how this affects your mind, your emotions and your body. Make connections with people you would normally pass by everyday. Give your time, this will make you feel alive.

Remember, when your journey ends, what remains in the mind of the people whom you care about will be the memories you have built in their lives. It's not the job you had, the product you developed or the big house you owned. Your eulogy talks about what you gave, how you connected, what you meant to your family and friends, small acts of kindness, passions and things that made us laugh.

Be truly successful, start by being the best version of your eulogy.

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