Working Wisdom: quote about employees and work

“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.”

Deepak Chopra (born 22 October 1946) is an Indian-born American author, public speaker, alternative medicine advocate and a prominent figure in the New Age movement. He is the author of numerous books and has released many videos, resulting in him becoming internationally well-known.

This quote in Working Wisdom is very fitting for employees in today’s society, in which smartphones, email, video-chat, and other technological innovations have given people the possibility to work outside of the typical ‘9-to-5’ work day. Various studies indicate that employees around the world are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve a good work-life balance, i.e. to allocate sufficient time to other aspects of life (personal interests, family and social or leisure activities) in addition to their work, leading to a higher risk of stress.

This is important for employers too; Texas Quick, an expert witness at trials of companies who were accused of overworking their employees, has been quoted as saying that “when people get worked beyond their capacity, companies pay the price”. Therefore, employees and employers alike could benefit from heeding Deepak Chopra’s advice.