According to the American Institute of Stress, work is the most significant cause of stress for adults. That's a statistic that seems surprising, but it really isn't.
All too easily, moments of anxiety and stress can overwhelm us and make us feel like our world is falling apart around us.
This feeling doesn't only happen during big, life-changing moments. It can also occur in any situation throughout the day, when our sense of balance or well-being shifts toward distress or anxiety.
So, how can you calm down in times of stress?
As the saying goes, "what you resist, persists." When feelings of distress, stress, or anxiety arise, the quickest way out is also the simplest: observe the emotion without judgment and with attention.
Here are some other practical tips you can use the next time you feel stressed at work:
1. Recognize stress when it is happening
Allow yourself to recognize when you feel stress. Name it and identify what you are feeling and where. For example: "I feel stressed; my neck is tensing up. I feel anxious; my stomach hurts. I feel agitated; my legs are restless."
Naming the emotion and observing where it occurs physically is a way of using mindfulness to enter into awareness and step out of the intensity of the emotional state.
2. Observe yourself without judgment.
As you acknowledge how you feel, take a moment to look at yourself as you would a dear friend. Observe yourself with kindness and compassion, not judgment.
3. Breathe
Practice pausing: breathe slowly and deeply, and exhale slowly. Repeat four or five times. Pay attention to your breathing and count the number of breaths. Again, this technique takes you out of the intensity of your stressful feelings.
Now, when questions like "What should I do about this stress?", "How can I work more calmly?", and "What can I do to calm down?" come up again, you already have the answers. Let me know how it goes!
