Desk Meditation: 5 Simple Tips for Keeping Stress Out of the Office
Desk Meditation Really Works! Here’s How to Keep a Stress-Free Workplace…
The office can be a hectic place, buzzing with productivity day in and day out. On the other hand, it can sometimes it can be a yawnfest––and it’s hard to stay focused either way.
The forward march of progress can be a drag—and it pays to bring yourself out of the workflow momentarily to clear your head, reduce your anxiety level, and get back to business from a rested place of balance and levity.
Here are 5 tips you can enact every day to keep your work environment as stress free and focused as it can be:
1. Find Your Office “Happy Place” for Short Breaks— It can be a soda machine in the basement, a tree in the parking lot, the bathroom…anywhere, really.
“Locating a specific space where you can let go of trivial workplace stress is important to keeping you sane during the workweek. The ideal happy place would be your desk (think pictures of family, chachkies, mini office plants, etc.), but we all know sometimes desk meditation with a desk full of work is just not possible. Find somewhere to take short breaks away from the to-do’s.”
Your happy place is just that: yours. So choose wisely: stake-out and claim your happy place real estate, visit often for short breaks to clear your head––and you’ll feel less distracted at your desk.
2. Keep a Totem or Spirit Guide Near—Filed under the same purpose as above, a totem or spirit guide can take you far from where you’re sitting physically, and allow your mind to wander positively from the doldrums of daily life to your long-term goals, motivations and aspirations. Here are some ideas…
- Maybe it’s something that reminds you of your childhood
- A “vacation totem” (souvenir that inspires stress-free memories)
- Perhaps it’s a Buddha figure or an inspiring verse from the bible
- Maybe even just your favorite Calvin and Hobbes comic snippet
- Or it could be a construction paper dream catcher your six year-old made…
Who knows, maybe you just need a vase of fresh, sweet smelling flowers to keep you at peace during the work grind––whatever it is, think of something to bless your desk with and keep it near and dear in moments of stress.
Pro office tip: You just can’t beat a touch of natural light, either…
Here’s my example of a meditative work environment. My desk at the Work Webb! – Heidi
3. Breath Deep…Now, Do it Again— In through the nose, out through the mouth.
“Make sure to breathe in your belly…no chest-heavy ‘stress breathing!’ Place a hand lightly on your belly if you need help directing your breath…”
This activates the part of your brain responsible for the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which control how happy you feel at any given moment. One deep breath usually won’t cut it, though—so take 10-15 in slow succession to really feel the relaxing effects.
4. Tune Out The White Noise— Good music has long been appreciated as a source of relaxation and/or cathartic stress relief, and it can do wonders in helping you turn down the volume of a busy workspace. Having a relaxing playlist on call makes other meditative exercises (like the one above) that much more rewarding.
“A good general rule is to go with tunes that are light on lyrics.”
5. Tear Down Distractions— Keep your desk clear, clean and neat, and cut down on unnecessary tabs in your browser: Keeping the number of options your brain has for dataflow limited helps you focus on the task at hand. And the bump in efficiency will translate to you having more time to take care of your own mental health.
Share your desk meditation tips on our Facebook page: #workhappy
At Work Webb, we strive to create a relaxed, productive office environment that you and your employees are sure to find comforting and creative. We have a variety of office space available in both shared and private office environments. We also provide conference and meeting room areas in our Work Webb at the historic Kress on Beach Street in Daytona Beach, FL.
Give us a call at 386.843.3623 to schedule some time for your business, or take a look through our fully-furnished office rental options. Feel free to stop by for a tour. We hope to see you soon!
