4 Ways to Maintain Inner Peace at Work

When you think about your work, how does it make you feel? If you love your job, you may feel inspired and happy at the thought of going to work each day. However, many more people are far from inspired by the work they do. I believe everyone has a job – a vocation, you might say – that is perfect for them, but it can take years to discover what that is.

In the meantime, you may feel stressed, hassled, tense… and filled with dread whenever the weekend ends and you start thinking about another five days at work. Just think for a moment – if you cannot change jobs that easily or quickly, wouldn’t your working life be easier if you could find ways to remain calm and peaceful whenever you are

Here are four ways you can attain that inner peace that comes so easily in other situations. Please do try them all; just one might make all the difference to you.

GET UP EARLIER
I know, you’re wondering how this could help you at work. If you dread going to work, it’s human nature to stay in bed and put off going until the last minute. Yet this leads to a rush and can increase your stress levels before you even arrive at your office or workplace.

Try getting up 20 minutes earlier, brewing a nice tea or coffee, and taking time to meditate or sit quietly in your favourite chair. This alone puts you in a calm and relaxed mood. Try to recall how you felt during this time later in the day, whenever you start feeling hassled or stressed.

LEARN HOW TO BREATHE
Ah yes, breathing… but we do this without even thinking, don’t we? Yes we do, but the more stressed we feel, the less likely it is that we will breathe well. When you feel stressed or under pressure your breathing will become shallow and possibly speed up, you’re also much more likely to breathe from your chest rather than your stomach. Try to observe this and you’ll see what I mean.

Pay more attention to how you breathe during the day. If you notice you are taking short, shallow breaths, stop for a moment and take deep breaths from your stomach instead. This is a very calming and grounding sensation. Over time, it will become second nature to do as well, which bodes well for staying calm and achieving inner peace in the future.
 

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR BREAKS
Even if it means escaping to the toilet to find a moment of quiet or to meditate for a few moments, it’s surprising how well you can recharge and refocus your mind during your working day.

It’s also a good idea to treat yourself to some positive experiences during your lunch break. Go outside when the weather is good. Soak up some rays when it’s sunny; this alone can make us feel calmer and more relaxed. If you tend to dread going back to the office, turn your thoughts around and be thankful you had a few moments in the sun or fresh air instead. Be happy for how that made you feel and take those positive thoughts into the rest of your working day.  You may also benefit from using aromatherapy during short breaks to help freshen your senses and ground your emotions - these easy to use roll on aromatherapy blends are ideal.

Oftentimes, we focus on the wrong things. If you find yourself focusing on the negative, see how you can turn those thoughts around to become positive instead. I know this is easier said than done but practice does make it better.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FEELINGS EACH DAY
Even if you hate the job you do, there will be elements of it you like. Maybe you love being left alone to do some paperwork. Perhaps you like working with spreadsheets, even though you don’t do this all day. Maybe you like the quieter moments, but you aren’t keen on the busy part of the day. Whatever it might be, make the most of the moments you enjoy.

And remember, you can decide how you feel every moment of every day too. I’m not the biggest fan of paperwork and you’d be amazed how much I have to do, but I always try to approach it with a smile. I know that by tackling it in bite-sized chunks, it’s easier for me to get it done. It’s easier and more pleasant to do this way – for me, at least.

Approach each working day with a smile too. Treat your fellow co-workers well and display a friendly nature. Do things for people. Even if you merely hold the door for someone as they walk into the office, it will make them feel appreciated and that makes you feel better too.

Don’t react to what happens – take steps to act positively and work towards keeping that sense of inner peace you begin each day with. Don’t let the negativity of others get you down. Imagine you have an outer shell that the negativity slides off with ease. When you approach your working days like this, you might be surprised how much better you feel.

AUTHOR: LEANNA DOOLIN

Co – Founder of holistic skincare brand, Pure Thoughts and advocate for women finding pause in their day to breathe deeply, give thanks and reconnect to what matters. Loves early mornings, dogs and books that you can’t put down.