As the pandemic rages on, and the boundaries of personal and professional life blur with ongoing quarantines and work-from-home orders, it has become the “new norm” to experience the stress of 24-hour connection to our jobs, which can impact our well-being. With so many of us navigating work-from-home and balance professional and personal responsibilities in one setting, it’s crucial we find ways to reduce work-related stress.
Caring for your mental health is as important as caring for your physical health however emotional well-being is often overlooked in the workplace. It’s a challenge to manage work-related stress while also taking care of oneself. Mindfulness is one way to prioritize our mental health while reducing work-related stress. Here are some tips for incorporating mindfulness into your work life to reduce work-related stress:
Benefits of Mindfulness on Reduction of Work-Related Stress
Stress is caused by many things: self-esteem issues, conflicts with others, being over scheduled, burnout, or other stressors. Mindfulness promotes stress reduction along with antidotes to many of the above including positive affect, optimistic attitudes, and positive health. Mindfulness also encourages effective time management and conflict resolution skills. Lastly, mindfulness helps to improve mental health through conscious awareness and compassion for oneself. Mindfulness focuses on purposely slowing down, paying attention to your surroundings in the moment, and noticing how things impact you. This can lead to increased productivity, adaptability, problem-solving, creativity, vitality, and bolstering capacity for learning. So how do you develop mindfulness?
Self-compassion
Life is stressful and that is alright. You're entitled to have “bad days” and not feel great about that, it’s totally valid. Self-compassion creates space for understanding and empathy toward oneself when we are feeling vulnerable. Being consciously aware of feelings in the moment serves as the foundation for mindfulness. When you’re feeling stressed, take a few minutes to check in with your body and thoughts in order to support yourself. Self-compassion leads to a solid mindfulness practice.
Keep it simple
Basic mindfulness techniques bring awareness to how you are feeling and help you find strength and support in the moment. One way to process your stress at work is through writing out your thoughts and feelings. Try grounding yourself by putting your feet flat on the floor, and acknowledging what your senses are becoming aware of, like things you can see or smell, to help you remain in the present. Simply taking a few deep breaths can calm your nervous system and keep you focused on the present moment.
Find your flow
It’s difficult to remain in the present moment when you are multitasking or managing multiple situations at work. However, multitasking is the new norm. Yet when we focus on one task at a time, we can enter a state of flow and calmness that enables us to become immersed completely in one task or activity. This allows for an opportunity to be productive without interruptions and can allow us to find pleasure and enjoyment in the work we are doing.
It is hard to change the way you approach your work, however by taking on simple, mindfulness practices in your daily life, you can reduce your work stress. There are always ways to incorporate mindfulness techniques into your personal and professional life.
What are some strategies you use to be mindful while working? Click here for more support in developing strategies that work for you.