Well-being at Work: 6 Tips for Working Calmly and Effectively
Work like a Yogist
The benefits of yoga and a healthy lifestyle aren’t limited to the time you spend alone or with your family on the weekends. They apply to the most demanding and stressful situations: your job.
At work, too, having a healthy body and a clear mind helps you get along better with others—whether it’s your team or your supervisors… You can’t imagine just how much poor digestion, back pain, or poor sleep can affectyour productivity andyour mood.
Rule #1: A healthy mind starts with a healthy body!
Have you noticed how much less efficient and focused you are when you have a sore neck, for example? Practicing yoga and meditation should help you relax and gain control over your body—and, through your body, your emotions and thoughts. When you’re stressed, your breathing becomes more shallow and your thoughts more scattered. Breathing deeply and calmly will affect your mind much more directly than you might imagine, and doing 5 minutes of yoga exercises in your chair (see pages 82–99) to relax your neck could very well help you find your smile again.
Rule #2: Let's not get angry!
Anger is a very poor advisor, but we must admit that our social and professional lives present us with countless opportunities to lose our temper, get annoyed, or simply feel frustrated. Get to know yourself: understand what triggers your reactions, identify what bothers you, analyze how you function, and become aware of your thought patterns so you can better counteract them. Only you can decide whether to let stress or a colleague’s negativity get the better of you. Or, you can breathe, meditate, and focus on positive thoughts to take a break before reassessing the situation and making the right decision.
Rule #3: Learn to communicate!
No, nonviolent communication isn’t for the weak or those who let others walk all over them! It helps prevent many conflicts and a lot of stress. If you need to offer criticism, reprimand someone, or make an unpleasant request, rephrase your words: avoid the imperative (“Do this!”) or an accusatory tone (“You’re too this or that!”) and start your sentences with a magic phrase: “I need you to…” ” Automatically, the rest of what you say will soften and be better received by the other person.
The same goes if you’re the king of gossip. Before you open your mouth, ask yourself if what you’re about to say is 1) helpful, 2) kind, 3) constructive. And keep any pointless comments to yourself…
Rule #4: Don't get upset!
Have you just heard something that made you see red, or read an unpleasant email? So what. You don’t have to react to it in kind or right away. Some things that are particularly irritating in the moment might not bother you at all a few minutes later. So close your eyes, take ten deep breaths, or slowly count backward from 20 to 1. Let the wave of emotion pass, then look at the situation objectively so you can respond calmly… or not at all! You can even repeat, as you inhale, “let go,” and as you exhale, “release.” It’s amazing how effective the Coué method is!
Rule No. 5: It’s time for a break
Does taking time to care for yourself when your professional life is a whirlwind seem like an absurd waste of time and the last thing on your list of priorities? No, it’s an investment that allows you to return to the fray with a clear head and sharp focus. It’s ideal for approaching a problem from a new angle or finally finding that error in your Excel spreadsheet. Taking time to breathe, relax, and rest your mind is never a waste of time, and it’s precisely when you feel overwhelmed, overbooked, and out of your depth that you need to take a break. This rule doesn’t apply to cigarette breaks, needless to say!
Rule #6: Be mindful in everything you do!
Do you find yourself daydreaming about your next vacation or your weekend plans while sitting in front of your computer or a stack of papers? Being mindful at the office means being in the present moment, even when you feel like you’re wasting time or doing boring tasks.
How? Don’t think about the future or the past; bring your attention back to your body and focus on the immediate sensations as you work: the sound of your fingers on the keyboard, the color of the screen, the outline of the letters… Sit up straight in your chair and open your chest. Whatever you’re doing, you’re always learning something new. Finding immediate interest in every aspect of your life will help you stay more focused and productive—and potentially spend less time at the office!
Your body isn't meant to sit all day
Our in-person and online workshops teach you simple and effective wellness techniques
