The following article has been published with full permission of its author, Molly Harvey // Molly Harvey Global

We are living in an era of workplace stress. The increasing competitiveness of the modern economy has rendered people slaves to their workplaces. An exhausted nation is trapped in a never ending rat race. Many humans have become empty suits leaving their souls at home only to come alive at the weekends. Are you one of the empty suits? Trapped by the fear of the bills, mortgage and monthly pay cheque and can be frequently heard saying in the workplace, some day I will..... I encourage you to make your some day today. Life is just one long moment and before you know it, that moment will be gone forever.

As I work across the world as a Business Speaker and Writer, my opening lines at conferences begins by asking the audience three questions:

  • What are you doing?
  • Why are you living and working the way that you are?
  • What do you need to stop doing?

I often see the shock on their faces, being asked to question their lives, choices and direction is very often not what they expect to hear.

These women and men are very often driven by position and status. Those three questions are the ones all of us, no matter what our lives and career choices, need to ask ourselves on a regular basis if we are to work in an ethical and fulfilling way.

How passionate are you on a scale of 1-10 about your current work?
I encourage you to pick a number, if you are below five on the scale, find a new job. Life is far too short to be miserable and stay on the current hamster wheel. If your score is six upwards, what one thing can and will you do over the next thirty days to bring more fun, joy and the uniqueness that is you to the workplace? Drop other people’s models of who you think you should be, I often say to people why be normal when you can be yourself.

Too many people today paper over the cracks of their existence by being busy. The only person you impress at the end of your day with busyness is yourself. Life is not about being busy or working smart, life is about working right, whatever that is for you.
As a nation too many of us have got caught up working ridiculous hours, having to keep acquiring the bigger house, new car and as a result having to neglect family, friends and dreams. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and write down this thought provoking question,
what have you been dismissing in your life right now?

Sometimes we set impossible standards for ourselves and in doing so we can miss out on so much love, fun and pleasure. When we live a life out of balance, only concentrating on one aspect, the drive to succeed is at the cost of all others. I passionately believe that in
the 21st Century, it’s time to bring our head, heart and belly brain to work. When we bring the three brains to the workplace we are more creative and productive, which in turn results in better profits and a rich working environment. What if you woke up every Monday morning and said thank God it’s Monday instead of saying Oh no not Monday...
How would your life be different?

Most of us don’t stop to question what we are doing, we often feel like life has led us along certain paths and that is how we are and where we are today. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what choices brought you to where you are today? Everything in your life is the result of choices you have made along the way either conscious or unconscious. What hopes and dreams do you have for the future?
What possibilities lie within you and have yet to be explored and enjoyed?

Give yourself permission to shine in the workplace and through your own actions, beliefs and example others will shine too.