Om Shanti Shanti Shanti: Tips for De-Stressing At Work
By the Dawni Lama
Stress.
We all have it. Some thrive on it, some become paralyzed by it, and others are lucky enough to know how to deal with it in a balanced and calm manner.
Last month, CareerCast issued its annual list of the 10 Most Stressful Jobs of 2012 and, yes, PR executive ranked #7 (right after event coordinator and police officer...intriguing). While this is not surprising to those of us in the industry, and possibly irritating to those in other stressful careers that didn’t make the list, I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate this “honor” with a post that offers some tips I found to help to clear the mind – ideas that any stressed out professional might appreciate.
De-Stressing at Your Desk:
Try 5-Minute Desk Yoga
Here’s a video of Rodney Yee, world-renowned yoga teacher, demonstrating a 5-minute technique to relieve stress and re-energize, right at your desk.
“Head-Down Time-Out”
Kate Hanley, author of The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide: 77 Simple Strategies for Serenity, suggests a move she calls “head-down time-out.” Here’s what to do: Stack your forearms on top of each other at the edge of your desk; rest your feet flat on the floor and scoot your chair away from the desk to release tension in the muscles in your back; then rest your head on your arms, just like you did in elementary school. Give yourself a little mental time out. You’ll come out more productive on the other side.
Office Chair Swivel = Energy Boost
Another Hanley tip: Try swiveling in your office chair. Pick your feet up off the ground, hold on to the edge of the desk with your fingertips and push your chair back. Inhale and swivel to the right, making sure to keep your shoulders facing forward. Exhale and swivel to the left. They say doing this for 15 to 20 breaths can loosen the muscles in the back and stimulate the kidneys, which, according to Chinese medicine, are a major source of energy in the body.
For more fun ideas on how to distress at your desk, check out more of Hanley’s tips here.
Namaste. 