Increase Performance by Decreasing Your Daily Stress

The best tools for helping us all to slow down and reconnect

Do you feel stressed during your workday? Would you like to feel less stressed?

Chances are, you answered Yes to both questions. Maybe even, Heck Yes!

As the holidays approach, our bodies and our business are asking for different things.

As the days grow shorter and the weather turns, we naturally seek more rest and a slower pace. Yet in the business world, wrapping Q4 with an all out sprint to get everything done before year end is par for the course at most organizations.

So, how do we get it all done while staying balanced and maintaining a human pace? We’ve compiled some of our favorite resources that support a nourishing, focused, and more mindful way to work.

Mindfulness In Practice

Mindfulness, meditation - whatever you call it, the age old practice of taking 20 or 10 or even 2 minutes to pause, breathe and find some freedom from thinking and doing is a powerful way to decrease stress and increase presence, focus and creativity. Apps like HeadSpace and Simple Habit make it fun and easy to take a quick break - and even start and end your day - with guided meditations focused on relieving anxiety and calming the mind. You might find inspiration in Wisdom Labs’ Wise at Work podcast as well.

Digital Reminders

Part of being an adult in the modern world is knowing there is so much you could be doing to support your health and well being, and feeling you aren’t doing nearly enough. Sound familiar? ;) How about a digital kick in the butt to remind you to engage in practices that help you to ground and de-stress? It can be as easy as setting a regular calendar reminder to prompt you to work out or take a walk, or taking a 5-minute break every time your clock hits _:55. You can also download an app like StandUp, a fun, flexible work break timer you can customize to your unique work schedule.

How About Some Inspiration?

The forces of work are often aligned against self care. Need some perspective and inspiration? Check out psychologist Guy Winch’s TEDx talk on the value of emotional hygiene and psychological self care. And if you missed it, revisit the blog we put out earlier this month, ‘Are you working at Machine Speed, or Human Speed?’

Believe it or not, there is just one month left in 2018. Here’s to getting it all done, doing it in a way that feels good, and ending the year feeling grounded and complete.