Your Day, Your Way
The moment you arrive at work, you’re expected to be ready to help everyone with their projects and last-minute emergencies. At times, your day slips away from you, leaving you drained, stressed out and a To-Do list a mile long. With the following tips, you can reclaim your day and feel more relaxed as the chaos that is your job continues around you.
1. Organize, Organize, Organize
Either at the end of the day or at the start of the day, take a few moments to organize yourself. Straighten your desk. Put away papers and files that aren’t needed for today (or the next few days). Next list the top three things you need to do. As the day allows, work on those three items. Don’t worry about the rest, you’ll get to it in time. Believe it or not, if you’re organized, you’re more relaxed. It’s a way for you to get in control. You know where things are located and what you need to get done for the next few hours or the entire day.
2. Stretch
Sitting in front of a computer, answering phones and so on can be stressful on your body. As is standing on your feet all day. Give your body and mind a break by stretching. Simple yoga postures, like spinal twists and forward bends, can rejuvenate tired muscles and your shoulders to relax (a place many of us carry our stress). Within five minutes, you will feel more at ease and ready to jump back into the race. Of course, you can choose how quickly you run in that race.
3. Reward Yourself
It takes a lot of work to do what you do. At times, you do the work of five or more people, and you don’t get the recognition you deserve. So reward yourself! After you finish a large project, do something for yourself – even if it is going outside for five minutes to walk in the sunshine (or rain, if you enjoy that!). Give yourself the recognition that you deserve! You will feel great after you do, and you will shine in the workplace.
4. Breathe and Let it Go
There are times, I know, that your job is overwhelming. Projects can pile up, deadlines loom overhead, people are frustrated with you and then another big project is dropped on your lap. It happens. How you choose to react is another thing. When the day becomes overwhelming, take a few moments and breathe instead of turning into a drama queen/king. Been there, done that. I never got as much accomplished as I did when I was centered and relaxed.
Close your eyes, sit up tall in your chair and place your hands on your lap. Place your feet flat on the floor. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, hold for a count of four and exhale for a count of four. Repeat this slow deep breathing for a few minutes. In the meantime, drop your shoulders. Imagine the problems and stress flowing out of your feet and into the earth. After two to five minutes, you’ll feel centered and grounded.
