meditation

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Happy New Year!

I first posted this on Thrive Global a few weeks ago. In the spirit of the New Year, I’m sharing it with you all. 

It’s time to work on your happiness like it’s a full-time job. 2020 has challenged everyone and 2021 may not be much better. You’ve made it this far so now it’s time to reclaim your power at work with these five tips.

  • Worklife balance is a myth. Whether you’re working from home or actually going to a work site, there’s no such thing as work life balance and there never has been. It’s impossible to devote your full attention to work and family at the same time — something will suffer. As time management guru David Allen explained, you can do anything you want, you just can’t do everything you want. Learn how to say no to anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. For me, if it’s not a hell yes, then it’s a hell no. Unless you can’t say “no,” use your non-work time to do something that brings you joy and sustains you. Find a passion project. When you focus on life balance, your work life will improve.
  • Change your thoughts

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A friend recently asked me to suggest some books that might help him improve his meditation practice.  Operating under the assumption that if the topic is appropriate for the Wall Street Journal (“Doctor’s Orders: 20 Minutes Of Meditation Twice
a Day“), then it’s good enough for this blog, I thought I’d pass on my suggestions to interested readers.  The first 3 make up my personal list of “classics,” and the last is a shameless plug for a book of edited dharma talks I wrote based on my year of studying under sensei Ji Sui Craig Horton of the Cleveland
Buddhist Temple.  While my suggestions all focus on Buddhist/Zen meditation, there are certainly more “generic” approaches to learning about meditation — for example, one might visit the website for the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society,
which seeks to transform higher education “by supporting and encouraging
the use of contemplative/introspective practices and perspectives to create
active learning and research environments that look deeply into experience and
meaning for all in service of a more just and compassionate society” (I was made aware of this source while attending a panel discussion on “Engagement, Happiness, and Meaning in …