In the United States where I live, work is one of the most common sources of stress. According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2017 Stress in America survey, 61% of adults reported work as their top stressor.
Stress impacts everyone. It happens when we experience pressure or a situation that exceeds our ability to cope. It’s also one of the main sources of wear-and-tear on our spirits, minds, bodies, and relationships. Are you stressed at work? What causes you stress at work? How do you handle it?
Mindfulness
is one way you can outsmart stress. It’s free and can be used by everyone because it is our birthright. Each of us is born with mindfulness, the ABILITY TO BE AWARE of what’s happening in the present moment. Mindfulness is also a practice that we can CHOOSE to PAY ATTENTION to what’s happening in our spirit, heart, mind, body and surroundings ON PURPOSE in the PRESENT MOMENT and WITHOUT JUDGMENT.
Did you know October is Mindful Work Month?
In 2018, a group of mindfulness program leaders from companies including Aetna, Genentech, and LinkedIn launched the Mindful Workplace Alliance, website, and Mindful Work Month to fuel a game-changing movement of mindfulness in the workplace that promotes human flourishing. As a group, they develop and connect workplace mindfulness leaders, share best practices, and build community. Check out the Mindful Workplace Alliance’s free Mindfulness Challenge on the Insight Timer app.
Since it’s Mindful Work Month, I encourage you to practice mindfulness to manage your stress at work. Here are five tips you can use.
Tip #1: Make your breath your BFF is probably my all-time favorite tip. It simply means take a deep breath before you get out of bed, eat your breakfast, brush your teeth, bathe and dress for the day, head out on your commute to work, check your email, make a phone call, etc. If you want to add 1 or more deep breaths to your practice, go for it! The more you breathe mindfully, the more present you become to yourself and others.
Tip #2: Set an intention is all about taking control of your day. Before you get to work or when you enter and settle into your workspace, take a moment to be still with a few deep breaths. Next, ask yourself how you want to show up at work (the qualities you want to express). Think about the kind of a day you want to experience (peaceful, harmonious, or productive). Use your reflections to set an intention. It could be as simple as “I am peaceful and calm at work today. I experience harmony in all of my interactions.”
Tip #3: Be a single tasker! That means focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking decreases your mind’s ability to stay focused. Need more proof? Check out this Forbes.com article: 4 Mindfulness Fundamentals To Transform Your Leadership: The Incredible Myth Of Multitasking by Janice Marturano.
Tip #4: Start your meetings with a mindful moment. Invite your team to close their eyes or lower their gaze with their eyes open and breathe 1-7 times as they settle in. Allow yourself and team a moment to settle in and focus before the meeting starts.
Tip #5: Breathe first and then speak. It’s called a mindful pause. Allow yourself space to listen to what your colleagues are saying. Then breathe before you respond.
Follow me on social media for more tips this month.
If you need help getting started, I have included several episodes of my Thriving Mindfully Podcast below. Go here to check out more Thriving Mindfully Podcast episodes.
For more help, sign up for my online meditation classes and mindfulness workshops in October. Check out my full schedule of events for the rest of 2019 here.
- Thriving Mindfully Meetup: Mindful Monday Meditation Class on October 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 6:15-7:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC (free class)
- Online Thriving Mindfully Meditation Class on October 10th from 8-9PM ET ($20)
- Online Workshop: Mindful at Work on October 17 from 8-10PM ET ($57)
- Online Workshop: Mindful Communication in Your Career, Business, and Workplace on October 20 from 5-7PM ET ($57)
- Online Workshop: Mindful Creativity in Your Career, Business, and Workplace on October 24 from 8-10PM ET ($57)
Additional Events
Celebrate the new and full moons in a diverse community during the Thriving Mindfully Moon Circles at Qi Kratom CBD Tea in DC or from the comfort of your own home during the Online Thriving Mindfully Moon Circles. See the schedule of events below.
During the moon circles, you will have an opportunity to understand, embrace, and celebrate the power of the moon in your life, career, and business each month. You will also practice mindful self-care with meditation, breathing exercises, gentle chair yoga, reflection, journaling, intention setting, action and accountability, and self-celebration.
Thriving Mindfully Moon Circles at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC
Online Thriving Moon Circles
Start the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care when you feel called to. Use the resources that resonate with you the best. Do only what works for you. Do you boo!
WHAT IS A MINDFUL SELF-CARE MINDSET?
JOURNALING EXERCISES
Before you create your mindful self-care mindset statement, take a look at the one I created: I release and forgive any lack, limitation, fear, judgment, separation or resistance I have created in my beliefs about self-care. I deserve, embrace, and practice mindful self-care daily with small steps. I offer myself loving kindness, compassion, nonjudgment, patience and forgiveness as I grow into the full expression of my mindful self-care mindset. I forgive myself daily for the ways in which I fall short of expressing my mindful self-care mindset. I celebrate my small, medium, and big wins in expressing my mindful self-care mindset. I am grateful I get to express my mindful self-care mindset in everything I am called to be, feel, think, say, and do.
Whenever we decide to transform our way of being, thinking, and living, we are entering the land of change. How do you embrace change?
NEED MORE HELP WITH YOUR MINDFUL SELF-CARE PRACTICES?
My self-care journey started 30 years ago. I was fresh out of law school. My days were filled with bar exam preparation. My stress level was at an all-time high. Overwhelmed was my first, middle, and last names. My mom suggested I start walking to release some of the stress. Thanks to her I started a walking self-care practice that grew into jogging and later running.
My fitness exercise became a self-care ritual (a ritual is an act or behavior done on a regular basis). Sipping tea in the morning; buying flowers for my home; practicing meditation, yoga, and reiki; saying positive affirmations; reading astrology updates and new thought spiritual devotionals; burning incense, sage, and candles; making vision boards; wearing and using crystals and chakras; journaling; chanting mantras with my mala beads; using African goddess and other tarot, archetype, and healing cards; listening to sound Tibetan healing bowls and other healing music; attending sound baths; and observing the new and full moons, equinoxes, and solstices entered my life years later. They also became self-care rituals.
My Thriving Mindfully Podcast series has tons of resources you can use to support your self-care journey. I have included a few episodes below that may help you deepen your understanding and practice of self-care. Enjoy and remember to listen to the episodes that really resonate with your spirit, heart, mind, and body. Take what you need from each episode and leave the rest behind. Do what works for you boo!
Ananda Leeke 