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Summer Lotus July 6th 5 min read
Are you tired of this rat race? To be faster, better, and richer.
Many people long to drop out of this rat race because they feel that it is killing them and life gets meaningless running this thread mill. They look forward to early retirement.
I want to continue with my rat race because it fulfills my challenge in life which is the opportunity to always cope with the changes that are inevitable. I want to be active and proactive until I become a dead rat.
Even if you drop out of this race, the change will still get to you and make you feel like a helpless rat unless you stay informed.
Because I am not a country rat but a city rat and I operate on a different rhythm. I knew about this when I went to the beautiful laid back city of Perth for 4 days. The first day was a vacation, second day a relaxation, third-day boredom, and 4th-day confinement.
It was just me. I needed a faster pace of life to sustain me. I was looking for stress that would nourish me.
Because my rat race is a diverse one — My race is not just about work, it is about life in general.
While working, I could encounter different settings and sets of challenges in an ever-changing world with its many demands. I would be egged on to engage in problem-solving because I want to be able to think critically.
Off work, I expect to be an active rat to enjoy life in whatever forms it presents, interacting, and sharing with others.
Definition by dictionary.com says;
A rat race has been defined as a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power.
To most people, a rat race means continuous working, increasing stress, and health problems. I believe that I could make my rat race a pleasant one.
How?
Does a rat race mean continuous working? It is a matter of perspective.
I see the ability and availability to work as a blessing. If your customer still engages with you, it means that you are able to offer value in your service and product.
I would find ways to work efficiently and effectively. Strategically pace me and think critically to get things done.
Resources in today’s world are abundant and there are always smart colleagues that one can emulate.
I have learned many technological issues from my younger colleagues, they in turn learned from my experiences and avoid pitfalls.
Work brings income that enables you to pursue other passions which cost money. Whether work is continuous beyond your time frame is within your control. If you work in a smart manner, you need not be consumed by work.
When you succeed beyond your expectations, you could filter it down to others and they would also share their talents with you.
Continuous working is actually continuous learning. As work involves change, you will always learn new things.
Does a rat race increases stress? There are many ways to deal with it.
Stress arises when one is unable to find solutions to problems. When one does not have a passion for the task or job, it is time to make a switch.
I have encountered people who are so passionate about their jobs that their eyes lit up when talking about it.
That love comes from their constant acquiring of knowledge and skills and remaining competent.
When in doubt, I often look around and ask for a capable friend to advise me. In today’s world, there is Google that provides a myriad of solutions. Some videos on Youtube even takes you to step by step to solve problems.
Solutions always abound if you search for it. Start the day by solving the most difficult task first. The rest will appear much easier. If the first task cannot be solved, shelve it for the time being. I find that solutions often surface as an afterthought and the problem may even be less minuscule than you think.
The key is to remain calm and collected.
Live in airtight compartments. Do not bring your work home.
It is not the stress that kills, it is our reaction to it. — -Hans Selye
Does a rat race damage your health? How you can protect your health.
The rat race is often associated with long hours and deadlines.
One often forgets that destiny is in your hands. Structure your work by making a large task into bite sizes that can make it achievable.
Cut out unnecessary idle talk while working, delegating where appropriate, and always update on the latest strategy to get work done. When work is beyond your ability to cope, you need to voice out.
Make time for rest, for recreation and rejuvenation. Nobody is too busy for relaxation or exercise. It is just not your priority.
Time management is life management. — — Robin Sharma
The rat race will go on for me because life can be more interesting that way. To be honest, most of us would need money to enable a reasonable standard of living in a city with an ever-increasing living cost. This is to ensure that we can buy the necessary things that often make our lives more convenient.
Staying in the rat race keeps us in the loop, and you are always connected to others and inadvertently will hear about how to deal with any changes. If you fall through the cracks, you might not be able to find someone to help you out as others are in the rat race.
If you are an organized, active, and hardworking rat with a system of balance in your life, I guess it is alright to stay in the rat race.
It is alright to be a busy rat but be a happy and healthy one.
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