Work-life balance-A riddle waiting to be solved !

His Grace Sri Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa Prabhuji (M.Tech, IIT Chennai), President, Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON Banjara Hills 

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

"Work-life Balance" refers to the equilibrium between one's professional and personal life, and spirituality, the belief in a higher power or a divine being, are the buzzwords for the industry today. 

For many, the quest for balance is a constant struggle. They find themselves pulled in multiple directions, juggling their careers, friendships, and relationships, often at the expense of their family, health, and personal well-being. This is a struggle that resonates with many of us. This brings some mystery into the whole subject of' balancing !

Sometimes, despite spending enough time with the family or improving health or fitness, the balance appears incomplete ! After all, balance is not about work-life activity. "Balance" starts with the proper perception of life. If one doesn't understand what life is, where is the question of balancing life ? We somehow take our lives for granted without ever asking, "What is Life ?" For centuries, intelligent persons have asked this question and travelled a path of discovery to get some answers. Why are they so determined to travel a path of great adventure to understand 'What is Life ?'

Why do we not do this exercise with a project called "Life" ? If you want to achieve anything in "Life," you need to understand the basics : "What is Life ?" This assessment of current reality is the starting point for work-life balance, satisfaction in life, peace and happiness in life, or any other project related to "Life." Bhagavad-Gita brings an earth-shaking perspective to life. Lord Krishna, for the first time in the history of humankind, reveals that life is eternal and undying :

"As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realised soul is not bewildered by such a change." (BG 2.13)  

This revelation shakes up our foundations of life ! If life is eternal, then what is my current life ? If life is going to move on despite the death of the body, then what should I do to get a better life ? Where will this cycle end and what's the final destination ? Would that be pleasant ?

Spirituality of Bhagavad-Gita leads to Balance :

This journey of spirituality, as mentioned in Bhagavad Gita, automatically leads to balance ! The Bhagavad Gita describes spirituality as the path of re-establishing our loving relationship with the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. Its teachings can provide valuable insights and guidance on achieving work-life balance and spiritual fulfilment. It instills clarity and purpose, helping us shed unnecessary aspects and make decisions precisely, our lives become simpler, our thinking elevated, and our habits noble.

Many social scientists agree that one needs a spiritual quotient in addition to IQ and EQ. As the Bhagavad Gita mentions, the path of spirituality is self-disciplined, empowering, and blissful.One can build up his spiritual quotient and sharp decision-making skills by reading the Bhagavad Gita as it is daily. Additionally, setting aside a few minutes each day to chant the following Mantra can be a simple and effective way to incorporate spirituality into your daily routine :

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare"