The holiday season has a lot of perks, but with all the celebrations and time-off comes increased stressed and anxiety at work. According to the American Institute of Stress, 65% of workers surveyed said stress from work caused difficulties in their lives. In 2019, when we can access work from our phones and demands often stretch beyond 9-5, it is more important than ever to learn how to stay calm. Here are four tips for tapping into your zen side at work:
1. Breathe
Breathwork is a great way to find serenity in the office. Experimenting with different methods is the best way to find what works for you, but we recommend starting with the “4-7-8” method pictured above.
And the best part about breathwork? It can be done anywhere, anytime, and only takes a few minutes to make a difference.
2. Have Built-in Breaks
Schedule “me” time in your calendar as you would a meeting. Spend 10 minutes meditating with an app like Headspace, take a quick walk outside, or eat lunch away from your desk. Scheduling breaks in decreases the likelihood of blowing the time off to continue working, and ensures others will not disturb you.
3. Set Boundaries
Your relationships with coworkers and others in your workspace is a key factor in staying calm at work. Some people like to have more friendly relationships while others prefer to keep things strictly professional. It’s important to decide what works best for you overall, and where you can meet others in the middle. Conveying your thoughts to coworkers helps to ensure a positive environment- whether that means wanting less conversation or desiring more time to connect with others.
You also have to set boundaries when it comes to work and clients. Enact a “no non-urgent work emails on weekends” rule, get a business phone number through an app like Dialpad to ensure work doesn’t mix with personal messages and keep one day a week meeting-free so you can strive to leave right at five.
4. Create Your Own Space
Add succulents to your desk as an easy way to personalize any workspace!
Choose or advocate for a workspace where you can make it your own! Adding calming elements such as plants, a warm blanket, or a zen garden can make you feel more at ease. If you’re in a coworking situation, look for a space that has private or semi-private areas that can be utilized, like a lounge or small meeting space. Having access to other options is great for switching it up when you need a change of scenery to help you stay on task.
Physical spaces can have a major impact on our mental well-being. Everyone deserves a space where they feel welcomed, supported, and have the flexibility to change things up based on their needs. At the end of the day, your workspace should provide a welcome respite from any craziness.
AdvantEdge Workspaces has office space solutions that can help you stay calm, cool, and collected. From community events to mindfulness rooms, wellness is incorporated into the client lifestyle. Even if a meeting gets out of hand or project has been derailed, you’ll always know that when you get up from your desk your workspace is here to provide a modern, professional, and calming environment!
