Are you finding that your workday is leaving you completely frazzled and stressed? If you feel a large disconnect between your work and home life, as many people do, it's important to regain a sense of serenity at the office.
Here are 10 tips to ease your "office anxiety" and in turn help make other areas of your life calm and balanced as well.
1. Wait on the coffee!
The best way to lubricate, hydrate, and detox your entire body is by drinking a glass of warm filtered water first thing in the morning. For extra credit, add real lemon juice! Coffee is very dehydrating, so wait until you've had some breakfast and at least one glass of water before having your morning cup. You'll find yourself less anxious and won't experience such a large caffeine crash.
2. Take breaks to breathe.
It's easy to get lost in our workdays. Meetings, deadlines, and a full inbox can really take a toll on our mental health. It's important to remind yourself to breathe and practice a simple breathing exercise of 5 second inhales and 8 second exhales. Practice this for just five minutes a day and you'll notice awareness coming back to your body, which will help you relax when you encounter tense or overwhelming moments.
3. Organize your workspace before you leave the office.
Clean up that desk! I find that having a clean and uncluttered workspace is absolutely necessary for me to get any work done. Take a few minutes every evening to tidy up your space, put pens in their cup, paper work in its correct folder or recycling bin and clean any plates or cups that may be on your desk; that way when you get to the office in the morning, you're starting with a clean slate!
4. Surround yourself with people and places you love.
I like to have pictures of my pets, my husband, and my travels on my desk. It brings me a sense of grounding and joy to be reminded of fun moments and things I love. If you're feeling the panic start to rise after a meeting, just look at your adorable pet and trust me you'll be smiling in no time!
5. Schedule some time for yourself.
If you're schedule gets totally booked up with meetings make sure to schedule some of your own time in your calendar. By doing so you'll be more present in your meetings because you know you'll have time later to get that important task done or handle something personal, or eat lunch.
6. Create a mantra for stressful moments.
Everyone has moments of not feeling up to par and doubtful. It's important to remind yourself that you are not in control of everything, and that's OK! Research has proven that you can change your outlook with just a simple phrase. One mantra I like to use is, I have enough, I do enough, I am enough or even simpler This too shall pass. Write it down and put it near your computer for times of stress. Repeat several times silently or aloud and always come back to your breathe.
7. Take a snack break in the afternoon.
Get away from your desk for at least 10 minutes in the afternoon and have a snack. Eating something small and healthy like an apple or handful of raw nuts can help you maintain your weight, keep blood sugar and mood regulated, give you energy, and boost your brain power!
8. Drink water all day.
Just as important as hydrating in the morning is drinking clean, filtered water all day long. Water is the foundation for maintaining optimal health, and will help curb cravings for soda and sugar, which are both extremely toxic to your body. (Do yourself a favor and give them up pronto!)
9. Express gratitude.
The more we realize how great we have it, the less stressed we become. This also allows us to live in the present versus worrying about unknowns in our future. I recently read a wonderful quote from Amma that sums this up well, "The past is history, the future a mystery, and today is a gift, that's why we call it the present." So powerful!
10. Get a good night's sleep.
Make dinner the smallest meal of your day, power down all of your devices by 9pm and avoid alcohol before bed. If you have trouble sleeping, try melatonin or meditation to help ease your body to sleep with its natural rhythm. Just one extra hour of rest can have a huge impact on your energy levels, creativity, and overall health.
Start by trying one or two of these tips and hopefully you'll find more flow and ease in your workday. If you have other tips that work well for you, please leave them in the comments, I'd love to hear!
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