Whole Self Work Part 1
We were never designed to be fragmented in any part of our lives…
It might seem arbitrary to create these distinctions, but we all experience life on several different planes. Physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. They all exist in some form of balance or stasis that needs to be maintained. Neglecting any part leaves us a little bit lopsided.
Because of the outsized role that Work plays in modern life, there is a tendency to focus mostly on the mental, intellectual side of things because we believe that’s the primary ingredient. And maybe, for some roles, the social side too.
There’s been a resurgence of empathy and emotional intelligence of late, especially in the light of a global pandemic, but even this is just not enough — it’s the equivalent of a 4-legged stool with two legs…depending on which two you have, you could get it to stand for a while, but it will never be stable in the long run.
Life is a whole-self experience. Work is a subset of life, so work should also be a whole-self experience.
Employees who are effective and productive in the long run are not just smart, they are whole — physically, mentally and spiritually.
So do we need to re-examine our definition of health as we look at organizations, work, communities, and various other areas of our lives? Collectively and individually, which areas have we done well? Which areas require attention?
How can this all-round health improve the world of work?
