Every day my anxiety would start early. It wouldn't start until I began to get ready for work. Usually when I brushed my teeth. I could feel the muscles between my shoulder blades tighten just a bit.
Then on the commute to work I would try to tune out my thoughts with NPR, sports radio, or light hearted pop music. Anything to stay a little more relaxed. When I would pull into my parking space my anxiety would go up a notch. I really didn't want to go in. It's the reason I started to meditated at the end of my last corporate job. I needed to be able to relax before I dealt with my boss and co-workers.
Your breath is the most important part of your day.
When you take shallow breaths you are signaling to yourself to be in a state of worry.
“Fear is just excitement without taking a breath.” - Danielle LaPorte
I was so worried about what others thought and I couldn't let go of these tense emotions.
So I instituted the 11 breaths before work routine and it worked beautifully. It allowed me to stop letting my mind go into a frenzy and helped me remember to breathe at work. I added a 11 breaths bathroom break in the early afternoon to help me reconnect with my relaxed state.
So let's look at the basics of creating your own 11 Breaths breathing routine, so you can bring more calmness to your work day.
How:
Stop whatever you are doing and just take 11 deep breaths and let go of everything else going on in your life.
Focus on:
Your breath.
When:
You feel like you are about to freak out. The last person you talked with treated you badly. When you leave work and you need to let all your stress wash away.
What I like:
The simple act of breathing and letting go it the single best habit to cultivate within oneself. Doing this every single day for 30 days changed my life around. I felt less depressed and enjoyed the end of each day.
I'm working on the Work Happy Now Emergency Kit. A personal version, team building version, team games version will eventually be a part of it. This is one from the personal version. Would you like more ideas like this one help you work happier?