21 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Working Day

Mindfulness and Mastery in the Workplace - 21 Ways to Reduce Stress During the Working Day

These are just some ideas – you will find your own ways as well.

• Take a few minutes in the morning to be quiet and meditate – sit or lie down and be with yourself… gaze out the window, listen to the sounds of nature or take a slow, quiet walk.

• While your car is warming up – take a few minutes to quietly pay attention to your breathing

• While driving, become aware of body tension e.g. hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel – shoulders raised – stomach tight, etc.  Consciously work at relaxing, dissolving that tension.  Does being tense help you to drive better?  What does it feel like to relax and drive?

• Decide not to play the radio and be with yourself, mindfully

• Travel at an easy speed

• Pay attention to your breathing or to the sky, trees, etc. when stopped at the traffic lights or in a queue

• Take a moment to orientate yourself to the day ahead once you have parked your car at your workplace

• While sitting at your desk, computer, etc. monitor bodily sensations – tension levels, again consciously attempting to relax and let go of excess tension

• Use your breaks to truly relax rather than simply “pausing” – e.g. instead of having a coffee and cigarette, take a few minutes to walk or sit at your desk and recuperate.

• At lunch, changing your environment can be helpful

• Try closing your door (if you have one) and take some time to consciously relax

• Decide to ‘stop’ for 1-2 minutes every hour during the day.  During this time, become aware of your breathing and bodily sensations.  Use it as a time to refresh and recuperate.

• Use the everyday cues in your environment as reminders to ‘centre’ yourself e.g.

-          The telephone ringing

-          Saving your computer file

• Take some time at lunch or break to chat with close associates, choose topics that are not necessarily work related

• Choose to eat one or two lunches per week in silence.  Use it as time to eat slowly and be with yourself

• When work finishes, retrace your activities of the day, acknowledge and congratulate yourself for what you have accomplished and make a list of what you intend to do tomorrow

• Pay attention to the short walk to your car – breathing the crisp air.  The feeling of the cold or warmth of your body, try to accept it rather than resist it.  Listen to the sounds outside the office.  Can you walk without feeling rushed?

• While your car is warming up, sit quietly and consciously make the transition from work to home, take a moment to simple be, enjoy it for a moment.  Like most of us, you’re heading into the next full-time job – home!

• While driving, notice if you are rushing.  What does this feel like?  What could you do about it?  Remember, you’ve got more control than you might imagine.

• When you pull into the driveway or park on the street, take a minute to come back to the present.  Orientate yourself to being with your family members.

• Change out of work clothes when you get home; it helps you to make a smoother transition into your next ‘role’ – you can spare a few minutes to do this.  Say ‘hello’ to each of your family members – centre yourself at home.  If possible, make time to take 5-10minutes to be quiet and still before starting the evening.