The daily grind can be exhausting, but for the majority of people it’s one of the non-negotiables in life: we’ve got to pay the bills. Most of us are putting in a solid 8-10 hours at the office, 5 days a week, and that doesn’t leave much time to rejuvenate between shifts.
When we’re low on energy, we struggle to achieve our best. This brings us to our central point: Can we change how we feel at work?
Our mission at HEYBOO is to inspire you lovely ladies to be the best versions of yourselves and to grab your dreams with both hands. We also want you to feel good while doing it. Here, we delve into 5 steps to a more mindful workday. Hopefully, we can inspire you to implement a few to improve your wellness at work.
🌸 Stretch Your Body.
A lot of us sit on a chair for a large portion of the workday. Sitting for long periods of time can impact your posture, circulation, and mental disposition among other physiological and psychological effects. As true advocates of holistic health, we advise that you start your day off with a good amount of stretching, light physical activity, and some gentle twists. Our girl, Adriene Mishler, has your back with her Yoga at Your Desk 5-minute sequence. Also, check out this quickie for your hands, wrists and fingers: Click here.
For us personally, a few forward folds, mindful neck rolls and shoulder shrugs every now and then does the trick.
🌸 Breathe & Affirm.
The breath is such a powerful tool. You can calm yourself, re-energize, better prioritize, clear your mind, and communicate and rationalize more effectively if you learn the power of the breath.
When you’re feeling especially panicky, slow deep breathing is beneficial in that it calms the body and the mind. Try an inhalation for 6 seconds, retain the breath for 2 and then breath out for 6-8 seconds. Do this 5 times and you’ll notice the difference. For info on other Pranayama techniques such as Dandelion Breath (builds confidence and releases anxiety), check this out. (It is appropriate for adults, too.)
For us, it’s equally as important to motivate and affirm ourselves as much as others. We try to always remember the saying, “Speak to yourself as you would a good friend.”
When we are over-worked, anxious, in our heads too often and for too long, we forget to take care of number one. It’s really the simplest trick: fill your cup so that it overflows to others. We like mantras such as “I am worthy,” “I’ve got this,” and “The universe has my back.”
🌸 Hydrate & Refuel.
This is a no-brainer, really, but we sometimes forget to drink enough water. Make sure you’re getting enough liquid every day and try to avoid sugary drinks. If you know you struggle to get in the litres of water you need, look into supplementing your diet with water-rich foods.
This brings us to our next point: fuel your body with nutritious foods and it will thank you! Healthy snacks and plenty of vitamin-rich foods are our recommendations. You’ll function better and think more clearly with a diet that’s low in sugar and high in veggies.
🌸 Prioritise.
You may work for a company that assesses you in a task-based fashion, or you might work at a job that requires you to figure out the important things yourself. Either way, take 10 minutes to sort out what is most pertinent, which tasks can be consolidated with others, and what your boss wants done first. Identify urgent jobs versus important ones, and consider the estimated effort required of you in achieving your work.
Knowing where your priorities lie reduces stress, helps you focus, can improve your productivity, time management, and even help in creating a better work-life equilibrium as you build boundaries around your work.
One tool we’ve found useful for prioritisation is Stephen Covey’s Importance-Urgency Matrix from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Don’t forget to prioritise your mental health and take lunch/ breaks when the opportunities arise!
🌸 Back Yourself.
Don’t be afraid to speak your truth. If you know something’s not right, say it. If you’re in 100%, say that. Self-doubt is the number one killer of dreams coming true! Quite often, we get all stuck in our heads with these ideas of comparison that don’t actually hold any water. Regardless, it seems to be human nature to want to be better than everyone around us, and that can get quite depressing. Embrace your authenticity, we say. Why be normal when you can be special?
This one is easier said than done, but reciting mantras and doing breathwork can help boost your confidence. Truly meditating on issues in your life is helpful when you’ve got big decisions to make or life changes on the horizon. Communicating openly and brazenly has often yielded impressive results, so we say: back yourself and others will follow.
