Meditation is an age-old practice that gives you access to inner peace and infuses you with positive energy. We need it more than ever in the professional world today, where stress and overwork run rampant. Here are 6 quick and easy techniques to help you become one of those lucky few who are happy at work.
Yoga Breathing
Unlike natural breathing, yoga breathing deeply oxygenates your body, reducing stress. You regulate your breathing to access a state of fulfilment and joy. This is easy to do at the office!
All you have to do is inhale deeply, letting your stomach expand, then exhale, letting your stomach contract. This type of breathing circulates a large amount of air through your body, reaching all your organs, like your diaphragm and abdominals. Five minutes of yoga breathing is all you need to feel less anxious.
Active Listening
In one ear, out the other. That’s what we tend to do when the work starts piling up and stress takes over. The solution? Active listening, which you can do any time at work. When a colleague is talking to you, empty your mind of all thoughts that eat away at your attention and have nothing to do with the conversation. As you practise this meditation exercise, you will develop your concentration skills and learn to retain more information. This will increase your productivity at work and help you build more constructive relationships with your colleagues.
Walking Meditation
What if all you had to do was walk to meditate? Walking meditation helps you reconnect with yourself. Between your desk and the conference room or during your lunch break, practice putting one foot in front of the other, concentrating fully on each movement. Feel each muscle and joint working and your feet in contact with the floor. This mindfulness meditation will fill you with peace and well-being.
Visualisation
Visualisation is a very powerful meditation technique because your imagination is an important tool for developing self-confidence. As soon as you feel your determination waning or you feel overwhelmed at work, give yourself 5–10 minutes for a visualisation meditation. Breathe deeply and direct your thoughts to positive images of happiness and success. In an effective mental projection, you submerge yourself in the virtual realisation of your dreams. Imagine yourself as head of the team, a famous artist or model parent, depending on your goals. There’s nothing like it to give you a winning attitude!
Reciting Mantras
In meditation, a mantra is a symbolic word or phrase that you can repeat to help you re-centre and rebalance. Buddhist monks recite them aloud, letting the sound resonate for a long time. But at work, this might bother your colleagues! So, recite your mantra in your head. You need to find one that resonates with you. Words like “light”, “relax” or “empty your mind” can help you find the mental state you need. Recite your mantra following the rhythm of your breathing.
Sensory Connection
Today, we live fast-paced lives, both at work and at home. It is essential for us to reconnect with the present. This exercise will help you do just that by focusing your attention on all your sensory perceptions in real time. Close your eyes and breathe slowly to tune in. Then, concentrate on all the sounds you hear. Bring your attention to the sensations in your body, from head to toe. You can also do this meditation during your lunch break, taking in all the sensations of smelling and eating your food. Sensory connection is a form of energetic meditation that can rejuvenate you during long days at work.
