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Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophical system that was founded by Zeno of Citium in the 4th century BCE. The system was based on the belief that the only things that are truly good are virtue and wisdom, and the only things that are truly bad are vice and ignorance.

The Stoics believed that if we can learn to control our emotions and develop a clear understanding of the world around us, we can live lives of tranquillity, joy, and meaningfulness.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Stoicism, with many people finding that its teachings can be helpful in modern life. If you’re looking for ways to improve your happiness and productivity, then read on to learn more about how Stoicism can help!

How does stoicism MAKE you happier?

Following Stoicism can help you increase your happiness by providing you with a set of tools that can help you cope with the problems of life. The core teachings of Stoicism can help you become more in control of your emotions and reactions. This can reduce your stress levels, enabling you to stay in control of your emotions even when faced with difficult circumstances.

Learning to recognize and accept situations for what they are can help you find peace of mind and learn how to adjust to the ups and downs of life. This is why practising stoic exercises such as journaling, visualization, and reflection can make a big difference in your life.

By developing strong principles, you can stay focused and keep reminding yourself of your goals. This can help you stay motivated and on track, no matter how hard things can sometimes seem.

And by regularly reflecting on what matters most to you and focusing on what is in your control, you can help yourself become more conscious of the values and actions that will provide you with a life of meaning and satisfaction.

How CAN stoicism HELp?

Stoicism can help you become more productive by quickly identifying and overcoming distractions. The Stoic principles teach you to focus on the task at hand and to stay the course, no matter the distractions or challenges.

Part of the Stoic practice is to be mindful of your time and to learn how to use it wisely. And by considering the consequences of each action, you can make sure you spend your time on what truly matters without getting stuck on non-essential tasks.

Stoicism can also help you become better at prioritizing tasks, as it encourages you to identify and focus on the objectives that are most important to you. This could be anything, from going on a walk to cooking food and playing with your children to watching a movie with loved ones. Any task done based on prioritizing your time and effort has proven to help in the release of dopamine (which is a feel-good and accomplished hormone). This can help you become more efficient and productive in the long run.

Another benefit of stoicism is that it helps you maintain a positive outlook on life. This can prevent burnout and ensure you are more productive and motivated when working on tasks.

Finally, Stoicism teaches you to embrace change and be open to learning new things. This can help you stay ahead of the curve and be more innovative in your approach, which, in turn, can help you stay competitive and take your productivity to the next level.

key principles below

The Key Principles of Stoicism can be broken down into four main views, namely:

1. The philosophy of life: The Stoic philosophy of life is based on the idea that you should live in the present moment and be mindful of how to best invest your energy, time, and resources. Like what our parents used to say, every time ki beta "jo kaam kar rahe ho usme 100 per cent dhyan do, success apne aap milegi". I guess we should have listened to them earlier.  

2. Acceptance of fate: Stoics understand that life events occur randomly. They learn to accept what comes their way, even if it isn’t what they hoped for. This way, they can live life without fear or expectation. Take it like this: Some days we are over the moon, and some days we are dead. Some days we feel like we should be doing a lot of work, but other days we feel like we should only Netflix and chill. Just like water flowing in the river, somewhere it's fast-pacing, bubbly, and can break stones, but it turns into a slow, calm, and steady-paced stream at the planes. Whatever happens, take it as it is and don't think why, in this case. 

3. Adopting reason: This involves using reason to guide one’s behaviour and directing one’s life by relying on reason and working on moral character rather than external factors. Well, this one's tough to grasp, but bear with me here; think about how you live your life in a way that only you understand because you are living with yourself 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You know yourself, but you are not living in someone else's body, that person knows how it feels to be like her or him. Similarly, everyone in this world has their own experiences in life that they have been through. If you just try, and I'm saying just try, to comprehend the fact of what others are going through, or if it's me in the place, you will realise the true meaning of compassion and empathy, which will help you connect with humans on a broader scale.

4. Practicing self-discipline: This entails having the right mindset and attitude to remain focused, motivated, and productive. Stoics strive to identify distractions and eliminate them to stay productive, as well as detach themselves from their emotions and focus on their purpose. Now, this is the mantra that I want you to have to practice self-discipline. Whenever you feel that an urge or a want is driving you to do something that is bad for you, I want you to stop thinking about that, and keep your head clear of any thoughts - (it's not as easy as it sounds, like, believe me), and then try to take as much air in as you can from your nose and then exhale it out from your mouth like you are sucking through a thin straw. This method is known as short Yoga Nidra and I personally do this whenever I feel a strong urge, which I know is derogatory to me.

Do this 10 times, and once done, come back to reality and think if that urge or want is still there. If it is, then you need more practice to control your behaviour but chances are you will feel relaxed and more motivated not to do that, you can do otherwise based on external factors. 

HOW CAN YOU APPLY THIS?

Stoicism is a philosophy that has been around for centuries and can still be applied to modern-day life. Here are five ways you can start following Stoicism in your own life:

1. Start with mindfulness: The first step in Stoicism is to become mindful of your thoughts and emotions. Pay attention to the way your body reacts to different situations, and use the practice of mindfulness to understand and then modify these reactions. Simply put, be in the moment and understand what you are feeling at any given moment. If it's anger, note it and feel it inside, and if you feel happiness, note that you are happy. [Note at the bottom for a tool I'm using to practice mindfulness.]

2. Develop mental strength: In a Stoic mindset, one has to develop mental strength to overcome any obstacles that may come in the way of their personal objectives. This mental fortitude will not just help you stay focused but also help you maintain a proper emotional balance in times of stress and hardship. Exercise, yoga, and meditation can be tools for developing basic mental strength in all of us. 

3. Make wise decisions: As a Stoic, one must strive to make decisions that promote positive outcomes. Weigh the pros and cons of any decisions, and take time to reflect on the potential consequences of your choices. You can practise this by doing what I do, which is making a pros and cons list of every major decision and swaying the results using math and statistical regulators. I'll explain more about this in an upcoming video. 

4. Link to the past: People who follow the Stoic philosophy strive to connect the lessons of the past to the current situation. This will not just help them assess the current situation more objectively but also anticipate future events. Simply put, learn from your experiences.

5. Practice detachment: Stoics believe in separating their emotions from their decisions and actions. Practice detachment to remain emotionally immune to the outcome of any event that you are involved in. This is some heavy sh*t that monks do, so I personally won't recommend it unless you are an actual monk and you are reading this. Then, yeah, man, good for you.  :)

conclusion

Stoicism is a powerful and practical philosophy that can help us be more productive, resilient, and happy. Practising stoicism has the potential to help us make better decisions, take charge of our emotions, and stay focused on the task at hand. It can help us link the wisdom of the past to the present and create a safe space for ourselves where we can remain emotionally unaffected by external influences. By cultivating the practice of Stoicism, one can not only become more productive and successful, but also more content and at peace with life.

REFERENCES

1) BBC Radio, our time in stoicism

2) https://iep.utm.edu/stoicmind/

3) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/stoicism

4) https://www.ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT21X0064.pdf

T O O L S 

1) Application: Headspace for meditation and for practising mindfulness.

2) Youtube: Listen to this video for non-sleep deep rest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKGrmY8OSHM

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