The art of sustainable wellbeing: an eastern philosophy approach to cultivating happiness

Our jobs are now less secure and more reliant on technology, where knowledge is shared in real time irrespective of the location or time. Although we now have more flexibility in how we work, our work-life boundaries are getting affected, thus becoming blurred. When boundaries are porous, it creates role conflicts and promotes insecurity and tension in one’s life. The existing subjective well-being (SWB) research focuses on observing, measuring, and controlling what is external to the individual and showing ‘what happens’ to SWB when subjective and objective variables are at play. By drawing on Eastern philosophical and spiritual approaches, this paper provides insights into the true nature of our perceived situational awareness of the present moment. It suggests that with techniques such as mindfulness and insight (Vipassana), it is possible to get a deeper understanding of the root causes and effects of consciousness and shape our perceived worldviews and subjective well-being.