How moonlighting can affect your mental health and what you need to do to regain your own balance

Moonlighting, for some, is stylish; but for most, it is the need of the hour. Life keeps calling. The needs continue to grow. Social pressures and materialism around you always have high pressure demands on your life. This is especially true if you are the breadwinner. There is a particular lifestyle that we get used to in abundance around us. We seek it because we see it. We look for it because it constantly attracts us through advertisements in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and social networks. Our society is full of desires and aspirations, so wanting to do as well as others, if not better, is natural. From your children’s education to vacations, having cars and a flashy lifestyle, everything is an attraction and a drain. That is why most opt ​​for moonlighting. And when moonlighting is done under absolute demands and pressures, it will obviously have a negative effect on your health.

It will also affect your mind and emotions because they will rarely be free to perform, recreate and be content. The mad pursuit of fitting everything into your watch will put many physiological and biological pressures on your being. And when there is no time for personal gain, personal development, personal recreation, happiness, contentment, “Ananda”, bliss and when there is too much to accomplish and too much to fulfill in terms of deserving the salary you think you have . are worthy, there will be a lot of mental and emotional stress. Not spending enough time with your family and friends will create more disappointment and stress around you. Not getting enough attention from family and friends will become a force multiplier of stress and disappointment within you.

Working overtime ultimately results in reduced productivity. May cause adverse health effects. Due to high levels of stress, there is an increase in negative hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine and this makes you more prone to serious health problems such as neck, back or chest discomfort, stroke , coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and anxiety.

When all this pulling, pushing, chasing, living in a circle takes place, the idea is to move from the circle to the center (your inner being). There’s the pause, restart, refocus, rearrange, and re-orchestrate button. This core helps us regulate our behavior patterns, take leadership of our lives, and respond and act responsibly in challenging situations.

When brain functions start to align, the racing mind slows down and our stress is released. Complexities give way to clarity. Confusion gives way to vision. Anxieties give way to confidence. Here are some quick and easy ways to relax:

• Soak your face in running water for a while until everything cools down and your eyes are relaxed. Dry and then breathe.

• Eat fresh fruits while you heal.

• Get out of the four walls, walk, walk slowly or just go up and down the stairs. A brisk walk can do wonders for your mental well-being. Improves self-perception, self-esteem, mood and sleep quality. Reduces stress, anxiety and fatigue.

• Go somewhere in the sun and be in the light, sit or stand and feel the breeze touching you (we call it a wind bath), be aware.

• Lie in Shavasana (corpse pose), also known as the relief pose, to dissolve into gravity. Start inhaling and exhaling thereafter, start from the toes upwards and imagine exhaling the tensions. In five to seven minutes, you’ll feel as light as a feather. The breath relaxes as more and more physical and psychological tension is released. It helps to calm the mind and reduce disharmony, which could also relieve headaches, dispel fatigue and drive away anxieties and find better solutions.

• Finally, go and seek the company of good people.

Do you think the problems are solved with this? Certainly not. But it increases the propensity to see the problem in a different light, from a different perspective and the potential to approach and cope with them, which translates into self-confidence, self-conviction, self-sufficiency and a positive approach to life and skills.

Have aspirations and dreams. But be content (SWIKRITI) and at peace (SHANTI) being in the present. Meditate and cut lust. Then one’s mind becomes so refined that at that point of refinement you come to the point of SANKALP. So that’s where the journey begins. SAMARPAN (Dedication) – SANTULAN (Balance) – SAMARTH (ability) – SAKSHAM (consistent) – SANKALP (promise) – SHRISTI (universe) – SIDDHI (powers) – SAMRIDDHI (Prosperity). Happiness and serenity promote growth and self-improvement. Accepting your circumstances while being optimistic can keep you calm and cheerful.

However, don’t overdo your moonlighting efforts to the extent that it takes a toll on your physical health, pushes your psychological threshold, and overtaxes your performance on all fronts that can bring you to the brink of collapse. Therefore, recreation is very important in terms of singing, dancing, listening to music, laughing, improvising with friends and family, and enjoying joyful foods such as honey, lychee, mangoes, dates, and figs. Be grateful for everything you have instead of focusing on what you lack most of the time.

(Dr. Mehta has trained Bollywood superstars Akshay Kumar, preity zinta, billionaires, politicians, Miss World/Miss Universe candidates and the Maharashtra police. A best-selling author, he has been named a Champion of the FIT Movement India by the Sports Authority of India)