Wake up. Get dressed. Rush to office. Work all day. Rush back home. In such a fast-moving world and with technology now keeping you connected, have you ever stopped and thought what cost are you paying for this life? And even if you find out are you willing to work towards a better experience?
According to a survey, 89% of the population in India believe they are suffering from stress compared to the global average of 86%. And 75% of them do not feel comfortable talking to a medical professional about their stress. We all know how stress is caused right from pressure at work to a world where everything is based on speed. Here are some effect of stress that are bothersome:
- Physical Effects: Stress can cause asthma, arthritis, depression headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, and anxiety.
- Poor Time Management: As said by authors of “Performance Under Pressure: Managing Stress in the Workplace,” if one feels they are not able to manage time efficiently it can cause resentment towards the company and negatively influence their commitment and loyalty.
- Strained Relationships: Sentiments of vulnerability and hopelessness create high sensitivities to any analysis, sorrow, distrust about professional stability, envy and disdain toward colleagues who appear to have everything leveled out.
- Effect on Family: According to reports, Children who say their parent is always stressed are more likely to report having a great deal of stress themselves. Compared to those who say their parents are never stressed (17% vs. 2%).
These are just a few things that stress can do to you, but is there a way out? Surely. The one thing that people feel when pressure and burdened is a feeling of overwhelming emotions. Everything feels cluttered and occupying too much space in their lives and one of the best ways to deal with its decluttering. In short, practice minimalism.
Minimalism is living with less clutter (both physically and mentally) to lead a more fulfilling and purposeful life. There surely is no one way of practicing minimalism and it is not a number game at all. While the idea sounds exciting, it can sometimes get difficult to part ways with your old lifestyle, like we all know ‘old habits die hard.’ In a situation like this, you can always seek additional help in the form of a ‘Life Coach.’ From sports players to corporate executives, everyone needs a coach, and life is the hardest game we play so who do we think we do not need one?
Let’s look at how a life coach can help you attain Minimalism:
- An outsider’s perspective: As an individual, we often tend to over-empathize with our belongings. Having an outsider be a part of our ‘declutter’ journey can help you see things more rationally and understand what you need to keep and what needs to go away.
- Challenging your worldview: A primary competency of a Coach (defined by the ICF) is direct communication. The coach makes sure to ask powerful questions that challenge you to examine whether your assumption is valid and encourages you to explore other possibilities.
- Helping you see the true meaning of Minimalism: If you google the term minimalism, you will find a million blogs, so it’s easy to be misled or not find a way that fits you.
- Finding other ways than Minimalism: While Minimalism can be functional, there are different ways to declutter your life as well like Mindfulness. A coach can help you understand what works best for you and help you execute the same.
Just like not all of the minimalistic ideas are made for you, not all coaches are made for you. It is important to choose the right life coach that understands your needs and will help you grow. While choosing a coach make sure the coach is certified by a credible body and (for eg: ICF certified coach) demonstrated success with other clients.
To sum it up, Minimalism is about liberation and not deprivation. Decluttering yourself from all the unnecessary distractions in your life for the greater good is what Minimalism as a philosophy aims to achieve. Starting a minimalist journey can feel overwhelming. When you’ve lived your entire life amassing possessions and worldly things around you, suddenly reducing those items down to just the essentials can feel like an impossible task. You don’t have to deprive all the joys of life but begin one step at a time. Seek help when needed because Minimalism is not a destination but a journey.
