A Stress-Free Workplace
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A Stress-Free Workplace
No matter where you end up working, one thing is certain: someone will almost always have to pay you to be there! On most days, you may be doing work that you love and feel incredibly fortunate. However, there will inevitably be days when you don't feel like going into work at all. These days can be anything from rainy days to mornings after a hangover to days when you simply want to curl up with a good book. From the lunch rush at a restaurant to the first day of a new sale to the last paperwork-filled weeks of the fiscal year, the pace of work can become overwhelming—even on a good day. Anxieties galore can be yours when you mix a generally negative attitude with a high-pressure, fast-paced workplace.
Desk toys, more relaxed work settings, more involved therapy, and even company counsellors are all options for those who suffer from stress on the job. But there is, in a nutshell, a single word that can alleviate stress: relax. Research conducted by Herbert Benson’s Mind Body Medical Institute indicates that stress-related disorders account for sixty to ninety percent of doctor visits. Fortunately, most of these disorders can be significantly alleviated by learning to relax.
You might find it challenging, if not downright foolish, to hear the advice to "just relax!" in the workplace if you're already so anxious that you're experiencing these complaints. But that is simply not true. Dr. Benson and Charles Moore, a prominent figure in stress management in the UK, both claim that the relaxation response is more than simply a reaction to a calm atmosphere; it is an innate process analogous to the physiological impacts of stress that can be triggered whenever one desires. Mastering its activation mechanism is all that's required.
Doing this in your office is possible. If you want to get the most out of your workday, find a time when you can take a short break—or force yourself to take a short break—and relax for a while. Your best work will come when you're not stressed. Locate a serene spot to settle in. Sit in your car if you must, but get away from any fax machines, phones, and chatty coworkers for a bit. Relax and gently shut your eyes.
Physical reaction and mental calmness are the two determinants of successful relaxation. Thankfully, they complement each other perfectly. Take a few deep breaths in and out of your belly button and up to your diaphragm as a first step in relaxing at work. At this very moment, all you need to do is unwind, so do your best to clear your mind of any plans, concerns, or ideas. Saying a simple mantra, prayer, or even just a line from a favourite song to yourself while you breathe can help. Other suggestions include counting to four and back down again, thinking of the name of a beloved pet, child, or friend, or even just repeating the alphabet. Well, that's pretty much it. Put your focus on your breathing as you inhale and exhale, repeating your mantra.
Relaxation is something you can only guide, not force, so if you have trouble clearing your mind at first, don't worry. Do your best to relax and focus on your breathing. To help you relax, try picturing a hand holding all your worries in its strong grip. Then, one by one, let your fingers relax and spread out until the hand is fully open, and your worries begin to slip away.
As long as the strain is there, keep going. As soon as you are calm and prepared to resume your work, bring your breathing back to a normal rhythm and release any thoughts that you may have been dwelling on. Take a minute to close your eyes and then open them; stay in a comfortable position for as long as you need to, letting go of work-related worries and thoughts.
When you return to your work, you will discover that things that appeared overwhelming just fifteen minutes ago now appear fresh, new, and manageable. What you may have considered a luxury break turns out to be a valuable asset to your employer and yourself when you're at work. It allows you to escape the sometimes debilitating thoughts and physical pains that hindered your concentration.
Do this exercise whenever you feel yourself succumbing to work-related stress. Even though work can be stressful, you shouldn't allow yourself to be overwhelmed by it. We mistakenly think that the key to success in the workplace is micromanagement and an obsession with detail, but that's not always the case. Maintaining good health, serenity, and relaxation is the key to being really effective.
The 4th R is a South West London-based resource and training centre for learning relaxation techniques. Charles Moore established it after seeing a marked improvement in his health after implementing the principles that are now considered the gold standard for eradicating anxiety and stress.
