by James Crook: We thought technology would make our lives easier by reducing the workload…
Little did we know, it will only make things challenging and competitive. You have to do more. You have to do better. Even the sedentary jobs involve a lot of stress. And sometimes it gets too much to manage. That is where the work-life balance diminishes.
An average person spends 39.2 hours a week at work. If you sleep 8 hours a day, complete an 8-hour shift at work, add in an hour to commute, you only have around 7 hours to spend on everything else in your life. It is difficult to not let the 8 hours at work affect the 7 hours of life. So, if you are stressed at work, you are likely to stay stressed at home. Work-related stress could have the dire impact on a person’s health, lifestyle, and relationships.
Meditation can help you bring the balance back in life. It is a proven stress-reliever used by great leaders of our time.
Stress Management with Meditation
Before move on to meditation tips, let’s clarify that work stress isn’t just workload related. It can be caused by anything from a toxic colleague to a finicky client or a rude boss.
While reducing work stress is in the employer’s hand, sometimes you have to manage it at your end. Interestingly, not doing too much work in a competitive workplace can cause more stress because you know you are lagging behind. It is also impossible to cut off the negative influence such as colleagues, clients, and bosses. What you can do is learn how to keep negative elements from affecting your peace of mind. That is what meditation is all about.
5 Meditation Tips to Get Rid of Work Stress
You can’t pull a full lotus every time your boss nags. Meditation at work may not be as simple as early morning yoga. While meditation can improve productivity, it doesn’t mean you should spend half your work hours meditating. Here are 5 practical tips that can help you deal with work stress.
1. Meditate On Your Way
Meditation is most effective when you train your mind to deal with stress rather than an instant remedy. So, the best time to meditate is while on your way to work. You can meditate in your car and prepare your nerves for the day ahead. Play some nice music and adjust the car’s temperature. Focus on your breathing. It is best to do it on a road with the least bit if traffic. If that’s not possible, do it after you’ve parked the car.
2. Listen to Meditative Music
Music is a powerful way to meditate. There is a lot of science behind how it impacts our mind. It can trigger different emotions. Some form of it can make you more energetic, other forms can calm you down. Interestingly, there has been a research regarding the music with the most meditative effect. This music is based on binaural beats. These beats have an effect similar to the effect of listening to the calming sounds of nature such as a flowing river.
3. Take a Walk
Sitting for hours at the desk only adds to the stress. It makes you feel as if you are chained to the workstation. Give your mind a relief by taking a small meditative walk in the corridor. However, there is a trick to meditate while you walk.
Buddhist monks believe that one should walk as if they are kissing the earth with their feet. Focus on your footsteps and feel the pace, the surface, the temperature. Walk like every step matters and is the only thing that matters at that moment.
Besides taking frequent breaks, focus on a balanced diet and perform a few stretches at your desk to make your workplace habits healthy.
4. Focus on an Object
It is good to be focused on your work but if it gets too stressful; it is okay to take a few minutes to focus on something that is not work-related. Samatha meditation is an interesting technique you can try. You just have to choose any inanimate object from the surrounding and stare on it for two to five minutes. Think of nothing, not even the object. Breathe and just focus on your breathing. A few minutes of Samatha and you will feel relieved and replenished.
5. Know Your Mantra
Just like Samantha, Mantra meditation is another technique that can easily be used anywhere, anytime. It is one of the most powerful meditation techniques as it lets you choose one ‘mantra’ that makes you feel calm and in control. For instance, your mantra can be ‘I am in control.’ Whenever you feel overwhelmed with stress, close your eyes, sit in a comfortable position, focus on breathing, and repeat your mantra under your breath. As long as you truly believe your mantra, you will feel its meditative magic.
Remember, if stress gets overwhelming, don’t shy away from seeking professional help. You can use a reliable telemedicine platform to contact a mental health counselor.
These five meditation tips will help you get rid of the work stress. You can practice them while you are at work and even when you are home and feel you’ve brought some stress with you. With less stress on your nerves, you will see a drastic difference in your work performance and in other aspects of your life. So, meditate your way to a more fulfilling, happy, and satisfied life.
Author Bio:
James Crook is a passionate blogger who loves to write on health and fitness related topics. Currently, he is a working as a blogger for a Physical Fitness Dr Wilson shoulder Surgeon. Follow @jamescrook911 for more updates.
