Efficiency and Speed vs. Relaxation and Concentration: Work Efficiently in a Relaxed Mood

In the pursuit of efficiency and speed, we seem to equate work with stress and tension, thereby inducing diseases of civilization. Actually, as long as we know how to relax and focus at the right time, not only will our productivity multiply, but our nervousness will also disappear, thanks to concentration.

"No time for breakfast! Hurry up!" "Why is the car in front moving so slowly? How can I make it to the meeting at 9:00 a.m.?" The day has just begun and everyone is rushing to work, trying to reach their offices in the shortest time possible. Apart from the fast-paced life, "completing as many tasks as you can within the shortest time possible" has also become a goal commonly shared by members of all levels in a company. Employees work diligently and efficiently in order to meet performance requirements. Supervisors, on the other hand, are in charge of improving the sales performance. Besides keeping an eye on the working efficiency of their subordinates, they also need to be well organized in order to avoid wasting time.

However, a fast-paced lifestyle is prone to cause nervousness, anxiety and unease. Once negative emotions arise, they can accumulate over time and cause unwellness, anxiety and vexation, thus compromising work efficiency. So, is there a way for people to cope with things peacefully and calmly without getting stressed or panicked, despite being in a fast-paced work environment? The answer is yes! This method is the Chan practice of "relaxation and concentration." With a relaxed body and mind focused on the present moment, people can face complex matters with ease, thereby achieving what Master Sheng Yen said: "Work quickly, but don't hurry; even when we are busy, stay unperturbed and be organized."


Chan practice leads to relaxation and relieves stress

Tension, anxiety, and stress brought about by work can be fatal in some severe cases. On top of that, tension and stress are the sources of various diseases in modern society, such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, and various mental illnesses, including depression.

However, in a fast-paced life, does the tendency to achieve efficiency and effectiveness definitely cause people to suffer physical and mental tension? In fact, it can be avoided if handled properly. Since the 1960s, scientists have proved through many experiments that meditation practice produces a "relaxation response," which physiologically lowers blood pressure, decreases metabolism, and slows down the heartbeat and breathing. Therefore, Chan practice has been applied to the treatment of various stress-induced illnesses.

The Chan meditation taught by Master Sheng Yen is a step-by-step approach. As mentioned in his book The World of Chan, the first step in Chan meditation is to relax our body, from the head, including eyes and facial muscles, then proceeding to the whole body, including all bodily muscles, joints, and abdomen. The second step is to settle our mind of illusory and scattered thoughts. Through counting the breath, we can concentrate our mind on the breathing and counting itself. Applying the method helps us relax and settle our body and mind, thereby gradually reducing our scattered and illusory thoughts.


Focusing on the present moment to improve work efficiency and quality

Qiu Huimin (邱惠敏), who has been working as an advertising and magazine editor for 10 years, said that due to the time-sensitive nature of advertisement planning and magazine publishing, she often has to complete multiple tasks within a limited period of time. This includes planning, liaising with columnists, communicating with editors-in-chief and other editors, and keeping a close eye on the process of publication printing. Even though tasks come thick and fast every day, she always manages to finish them with calmness and composure. As she mentioned, despite her tight schedule under time constraints, she makes sure she does not get impatient and worried by remaining relaxed and at ease, aware that getting impatient will only make herself more nervous.

Liu Shuchong (劉樹崇) is a general manager in the direct selling industry. With the nature of his work requiring frequent interpersonal contact, he rarely has the chance to really sit down in the office to quietly attend to his own business, because he is often interrupted by his subordinate's reports and phone calls at any given time. Being in an industry that demands frequent interactions with people, Liu has developed a unique way to cope with this: "Under such circumstances, it's important to stay focused." If one is unable to relax and focus on the task at hand, they may get annoyed by numerous ongoing tasks as well as intermittent interruptions, resulting in bad moods at work. He said that by relaxing and focusing on the present moment, we can fully utilize our time and enhance our efficiency. In addition, doing so improves the quality of our work, thus allowing our creativity to flow continuously.


The pursuit of perfection prevents people from relaxing

In his book The Turning Point of Life (生命轉彎處), Zheng Shiyan (鄭石岩), a scholar well versed in Buddhist practice and psychology, remarks, "The fundamental problem that causes nervousness is a self-centered attitude toward life." When we attach great importance to personal success and failure, and even associate them with our own reputation and the value of our own existence, our mind invariably becomes overly concerned about gain and loss. This attitude results in stress and anxiety. Only by gradually letting go of the sense of gain and loss are we truly able to relax.

Furthermore, tension is also a natural mechanism in our body. When having to face a large audience on big occasions, or when being assigned a major task, many people will experience cold sweat in palms, as well as feel out of place and unable to control themselves. Moderate tension and pressure may help people work proactively and efficiently, but excessive nervousness can cause people to panic and become flustered. Through progressive practice of Chan meditation – gently relaxing every part of our body, and observing and counting our breaths – our mood will gradually stabilize, and it will be easier for us to concentrate. Ven. Guo Xing (果醒法師) of Dharma Drum Mountain suggested that if a person feels easily agitated in the workplace, they can learn to meditate, and apply it at workplace.

When being stuck in traffic, our mind might worry about a meeting; when having lunch, we might be pondering on unfinished works to be done in the afternoon; and when planning a project, we might be worrying about whether our work will be recognized by others. Instead of making things go smoother, our worries and troubled mind hinder us from focusing on the present moment. On the other hand, relaxing the body and mind leads to peace of mind. With a relaxed body and mind, our delusive and discursive thoughts will slowly settle down, thereby allowing us to concentrate on the present task at hand. This way, we can make the most of our time, improving our efficiency. When a person can stay physically and mentally calm and stable in the workplace, the power of stability can naturally influence others.



Related articles:

Chan Practice for a Happier Workplace

Efficiency and Speed vs. Relaxation and Concentration: Work Efficiently in a Relaxed Mood

Relaxation and Concentration as a Path to Self-Healing

Conflict and Competition vs. Cessation and Contemplation

Crises and Bottlenecks vs. Letting Go and Getting Motivated



Resource: Issue 271 of Humanity Magazine (March 2006), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Translation and illustration: Li Siang-ling (李祥苓)
Editing: Keith Brown, Chang Chia-cheng (張家誠)