Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Saturday, January 28, 2023
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    worker injures finger

    Lessons learned: Be aware of the risks around you

    pilot ladder

    Lessons learned: Safety critical equipment should always be inspected before use

    port of rotterdam accidents

    Port of Rotterdam: Small decrease in accidents in 2022

    uae Harmonized System of Survey and Certification for ships

    UAE: Adoption of Harmonized System of Survey and Certification for ships

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    Meditation

    What happens when you meditate daily: 10+1 benefits

    kidney stones

    Preventing kidney stones: How to stay hydrated onboard

    sleep schedule

    Feeling tired? Tips to reset your sleep schedule

    seasickness

    Tips for managing seasickness onboard

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    us ferries zero emissions

    US: Funding to accelerate ferries’ transition to zero emissions

    mol ammonia bulker

    ClassNK approves ammonia-powered bulker

    port of rotterdam maritime bunkers

    Port of Rotterdam: Demand for maritime bunkers increase in 2022

    poseidon principles annual report

    Poseidon Principles: Annual Disclosure Report

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    allianz cyber risks

    Allianz: Cyber risks the most important risk globally

    ig clubs electronic bills of lading

    IG Clubs approve blockchain system for electronic bills of lading

    port of rotterdam drones

    Port of Rotterdam: Airspace organized for drone use

    port of tilbury portchain

    Port of Tilbury: Digital solution to create reliable berth plans

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    fmc delay and disruption claims

    FMC: Increase in “Delay and Disruption” claims

    crew jail illegal sell of marine gas oil

    Singapore: 11 crew jailed due to Illegal sale of marine gas oil

    uk mca ships detentions

    UK MCA: Five new foreign flagged ships detained during December 2022

    shipowner operator fined

    US: Shipowner and operator fined $2m over illegal discharges

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    underwater noise

    Clean Arctic Alliance: Underwater noise progress welcome, but more action necessary

    energy crisis

    Energy crisis: New global risk causes disruption in 2023

    ukraine low grain exports

    Ukraine: Slow pace of Russian inspections responsible for low grain exports

    port of rotterdam accidents

    Port of Rotterdam: Small decrease in accidents in 2022

  • Columns
    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: Sinikka Hartonen, One Sea Association

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    worker injures finger

    Lessons learned: Be aware of the risks around you

    pilot ladder

    Lessons learned: Safety critical equipment should always be inspected before use

    port of rotterdam accidents

    Port of Rotterdam: Small decrease in accidents in 2022

    uae Harmonized System of Survey and Certification for ships

    UAE: Adoption of Harmonized System of Survey and Certification for ships

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    Meditation

    What happens when you meditate daily: 10+1 benefits

    kidney stones

    Preventing kidney stones: How to stay hydrated onboard

    sleep schedule

    Feeling tired? Tips to reset your sleep schedule

    seasickness

    Tips for managing seasickness onboard

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    us ferries zero emissions

    US: Funding to accelerate ferries’ transition to zero emissions

    mol ammonia bulker

    ClassNK approves ammonia-powered bulker

    port of rotterdam maritime bunkers

    Port of Rotterdam: Demand for maritime bunkers increase in 2022

    poseidon principles annual report

    Poseidon Principles: Annual Disclosure Report

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    allianz cyber risks

    Allianz: Cyber risks the most important risk globally

    ig clubs electronic bills of lading

    IG Clubs approve blockchain system for electronic bills of lading

    port of rotterdam drones

    Port of Rotterdam: Airspace organized for drone use

    port of tilbury portchain

    Port of Tilbury: Digital solution to create reliable berth plans

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    fmc delay and disruption claims

    FMC: Increase in “Delay and Disruption” claims

    crew jail illegal sell of marine gas oil

    Singapore: 11 crew jailed due to Illegal sale of marine gas oil

    uk mca ships detentions

    UK MCA: Five new foreign flagged ships detained during December 2022

    shipowner operator fined

    US: Shipowner and operator fined $2m over illegal discharges

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    underwater noise

    Clean Arctic Alliance: Underwater noise progress welcome, but more action necessary

    energy crisis

    Energy crisis: New global risk causes disruption in 2023

    ukraine low grain exports

    Ukraine: Slow pace of Russian inspections responsible for low grain exports

    port of rotterdam accidents

    Port of Rotterdam: Small decrease in accidents in 2022

  • Columns
    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: Sinikka Hartonen, One Sea Association

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

Ikigai: Find your meaning at work and life

by The Editorial Team
May 13, 2022
in Maritime Knowledge, Spiritual
Ikigai: Find your meaning at work and life

Credits: Shutterstock

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Keeping your engagement at work is a main challenge in the demanding and fast-paced business environment of today and COVID-19 pandemic added to the overall levels of anxiety impeding good mood and productivity. Amid the “Great Resignation” trend following the pandemic, three in four workers are actively thinking about quitting their jobs. What is the best time to reflect on your personal motivation if not after times of crisis? How about finding your “Ikigai”?

The land of the rising sun has given us many things, not only in terms of technology products but also unique perspectives on life: From Kaizen, the concept describing “change for the better” to Kintsugi, the concept of celebrating flaws, Japan has paved the way for many interesting tips in life philosophy. Ikigai is one of them, applying to both work and everyday life.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a Japanese concept, with no English translation, that combines the terms iki (= “alive” or “life”) and gai (= “benefit” or “worth”). Respective to the French term “raison d’être”, ikigai expresses the purpose of your life, the reason you jump out of bed in the morning, the reason of your existence, the “why” of your life. In this respect, it acts as a useful guide for living a meaningful life, because people are happier and more productive when they have a clear sense of direction in their life.

RelatedNews

What happens when you meditate daily: 10+1 benefits

The 5 levels of leadership: Where do you stand?

*4 qualities making up the Ikigai concept*

  • what you love,
  • what you are good at,
  • what the world needs; and
  • what you can be paid for.
The very center, where the 4 pillars overlap, is your ikigai / Credits: Shutterstock

There are several wellbeing concepts associated with the concept of ikigai. The first is the concept of flow, a concept introduced by the pioneer of positive psychology Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, which describes a mental state of highest concentration where the individual achieves best productivity. Flow at the workplace means to stop struggling about work while increasing quality output and to get the feeling of achieving something rather than just keeping busy. Flow occurs when you are consistently doing something you love and that you are good at. From this aspect, flow might be seen as in connection with your ikigai, or activities that give your life meaning and purpose.

The second is mindfulness, a concept often seen at SAFETY4SEA, describing the ability of oneself to be present in the moment. Our minds can be full of sort things, so we may lack complete awareness in what we are doing. Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you are sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgement. This can make it a useful tool to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. The current way of life constantly makes us busy planning the next thing, forgetting that “life is what happens when we’re busy making plans.” Much like mindfulness, the key to ikigai is to be aware of the present moment.

Ikigai and the shipping career

A main component of ikigai is feeling that your work makes a difference in people’s lives. By its nature, shipping, a vital pillar of the world’s economy covering people’s everyday needs, occupies people who should feel fulfilled in this respect: The 1.7 million seafarers on the 61,000 ships plying the world’s seas globally are responsible for delivering 80% of the world’s transported goods. Without shipping, people would be left without most of their basic everyday necessities and some countries would find it difficult to even survive.

Often, people who finally get their “dream job” refer to their work as their “baby” and are proud of “watching it grow”. These people have obviously found their Ikigai, validating their life purpose through their work. However, Ikigai can also be found outside work; many people find it in growing a family, travelling, or in just a hobby, like running.

Achieving ikigai at the workplace

Stating a clear mission statement: A clear communication about what the organization exactly stands for enables the transparency required for building a true sense of community-building, which consequently adds to the feeling of purpose.

Lead by example: Business leaders account for a great part of the team’s overall sense of purpose. Among the many complex requirements that make up a leader, it is therefore of vital importance that the assigned team members have found their Ikigai in order to inspire it and cultivate it to the rest of the team. It becomes understood that ikigai starts as a personal matter, which can be extended to work and life interactions. Japanese neuroscientist Ken Mogi identifies the five central pillars of ikigai as:

  • Starting small (The importance of small steps for achieving your goals)
  • Releasing yourself (Finding happiness through accepting yourself)
  • Harmony and sustainability (Being mindful of your impact on others)
  • The joy of little things (Like the first sips of a morning coffee)
  • Being in the here and now (Be mindful).

Trace your values: Once you discovered what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs; and what you can be paid for, you should decide your “core values”. For example, are you a career-oriented or more of a work-life balance individual? What ideals characterize you? Identifying them early in your business life is important because a job that does not match your values can disrupt your sense of purpose. Don’t forget, roughly 90,000 hours of our lifetime are at work.

Tags: corporate lifelife onboardmindfulnesssafety culturesoft skillsvideoswellness at sea

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

underwater noise

Clean Arctic Alliance: Underwater noise progress welcome, but more action necessary

January 27, 2023
energy crisis

Energy crisis: New global risk causes disruption in 2023

January 27, 2023

SEAFiT Poll

What is the biggest obstacle for the social life onboard?

MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • Events
  • Plus

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Contact

RISK4SEA Facts

Did you know that age matters for 2020? 19% more on the Detention Rate for Bulk Carriers 16-20 yo vs. 2019 in Australia.

Learn more risk4sea.com

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Alerts
    • Accidents
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Opinions
    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Disclaimer.