Work, Life, and Living With Intent

Courtesy of Mallika Chopra

Tired, overworked, stressed, body aches, too much caffeine. Sound familiar? It can be all too easy for us to fall into the humdrum of daily routines and demands, living without intent, ultimately losing sight of our wellness until we fizzle out (burnout, it’s a thing). However, as a new year begins and we feel the need to evaluate and reevaluate ourselves – “what’s your New Year’s resolution?” ugh, please – I invite you to use the INTENT acronym and Balance Wheel exercise above, developed by Mallika Chopra, to dig deeper and intentionally bring focus to the areas of your life that need attention and fulfillment. Thinking about whether you’re struggling, surviving, or thriving in each area, ask yourself what’s missing, as well as what you want and need, and set the intents to make those changes this upcoming year. I challenge you to get real with yourself but, also, to treat yo’ self.

Incubate: Quiet your mind to tap into your deepest intentions; see where this leads.

Notice: Become mindful of your thoughts and actions and pay attention to what they tell you about what gives you meaning and a sense of purpose — and look for signs that can point you toward your true path.

Trust: Have confidence in your inner knowing — and in the messages the universe sends you — and allow that knowledge to guide you forward.

Express: Write down your intentions; say them out loud or share them with others to fully embrace them and help you move ahead in your journey.

Nurture: Be gentle with yourself as you try to find your way. Intention isn’t always a straightforward path, just like life, and giving yourself opportunities to try — and fail — is often part of, and even crucial to the process.

Take Action: Once you’ve identified an intent or even multiple ones, don’t sit and wait for it to magically manifest; instead take the practical steps that can make each become a reality. It may be easiest to choose one intent first and set short-term goals to help you get started.

All too often, our work/life balance gets thrown off-kilter, or maybe it was never balanced to begin with. However, being intentional with our lives isn’t something we deserve to focus on just once a year, it’s a practice that should be encouraged throughout the lifespan; even science says so. Studies have shown that a solid work/life balance actually improves productivity at work. Still not convinced? Europe takes work/life balance so seriously that many of its labor laws and norms limit the amount of time that work infringes upon leisure time (I know, right?!). So, what’s your New Year’s intent? New Year, new you.