Eight Steps for Controlling Stress at the Office

It would be wonderful if all corporations provided their employees with meditation rooms and built mandatory recovery breaks into everyone’s busy schedule. In fact, studies have shown that these kinds of activities actually increase productivity. Since that day is still far in the future, Anna Wise offers eight meditation exercises one can practice in the office to deactivate the stress response and become more relaxed, creative, and balanced during the workday. I have included that list here.

• Make ample use of one-minute meditations. Obviously, this will be easier if you are working in a private space than if you are sharing an office. These include the following:

• Sit in a relaxed posture and breathe deeply, in and out, for one minute.
• Focus on relaxing your tongue and jaw for one minute.
• Intentionally slow your breathing for one minute.
• Sitting comfortably with your eyes gently open, focus your awareness on a spot outside of yourself for one minute.
• Sitting comfortably with your eyes closed, focus your awareness on a particular location inside yourself, such as your heart, your third eye, or your navel.
• Imagine a friend’s face smiling at you.
• Imagine receiving a warm hug from an old friend.

• Breathe! The most calming action you can take when faced with stress is to consciously focus on slowing your rate of breathing. For example, while you are listening to problems
  or complaints from a superior, you can at the same time be aware of your rhythmical and slow breathing and your relaxed heart rate. This not only helps to keep you calm, but gives you the detachment that helps provide proper perspective when dealing with crisis.
• When faced with stressful situations make a complete energy circuit in your body. Sit with the palms of your hands together or—just as effective—the tips of the thumb pads and middle fingers touching one another. This helps contain the flow of energy within your body and maintain centeredness and balance.
• Sit with your spine straight and relaxed, and your legs uncrossed. This also unblocks energy, which can then be called upon for use.
• Sensualize! If you are facing a very difficult encounter or situation, take a few minutes to be by yourself before it begins. Using all of your senses, imagine the situation occurring in
  the most successful and healthy way possible. Imagine your own actions and reactions to be calm, strong, creative, and appropriate.
• Use ordinary activity as a meditation practice. For example, when you are going to the watercooler for a drink, take the opportunity to be awake and aware. Be aware of each move as you make it and be very present in the actual act—not drawn back into the past or forward into the future. Be sensually aware of the smells, tastes, sights, sounds, textures, and kinesthesia of the situation. Savor every second of the experience, while remaining in the present.
• Look for allies among your coworkers. You might be surprised to find other meditators more prevalent than you thought. There is support in numbers—if meditation becomes an acceptable and even pleasantly anticipated topic of conversation, your practices will be supported and you will feel freer to practice more frequently and more openly.
• Support others in the need for and value of contemplative time.