Friday, July 8, 2021
Stress and stressful situations are an inevitable part of our lives. Whether we experience it at home, at work, at school, or all three, learning how to manage stress can change the way we experience the present moment. Fortunately, there are several easy and adaptable ways to train our minds so that we can regain calm and cope with stress.
Meditation
Meditation is a way to train your mind using awareness and attention. It is not a practice to learn to shut off your thoughts or feelings but rather to learn to be okay with them and let them pass as you observe them without judgement.
Breathing
Breathing exercises can have two functions. The first is to simply notice how the breath enters and exits the body, without changing anything about the breathing. The second is to encourage slow and structured breathing in order to induce calm, release tension and stress in the body and mind, and anchor ourselves in the present moment.
Breath Awareness
Square Breathing
Start at the top left corner and work your way around the square, using a 4 count for each side.
1. Breathe In – through your nose
2. Hold – neither breathe in nor out
3. Breathe Out – slowly, imagine you’re using a straw
4. Hold – once again
Repeat!
Try it out for 2 minutes and notice the big difference a little mindfulness can make!
Visualization
Visualization involves imagining the desired outcome of your goals in detail. It’s a practice used by many athletes when training for big competitions and helps one connect to the feeling and reality of achieving their goals.
/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fimageserve%2F484763608%2F0x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale)
Yoga
Yoga can be practiced in an attention focused way. You can pay attention to your breath, your posture and how your body moves between poses.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves being in the present moment. It helps you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours without judgment. Mindfulness allows us to participate in life with intention and acceptance.
Sound Meditation
Body Awareness Meditation
Seated Body Scan
Seeing Meditation
Once you’ve given these techniques a try, you may find one or more that works best for you. You can take it a step further by incorporating it into your day to day life and creating a habit.
*If you need immediate support around anxiety or excessive stress, please refer to our recent post.*
Thanks for reading our post! The Workplace Wellness Blog is here to share tips and resources to help you be the best you can be for yourself, your social circle, and your home and work community!
Found this post helpful? Subscribe down below to be notified each time we share a new post!