6 ways meditation can help with stress

Meditation is great for mindfulness and stress relief. You’ve probably heard this many times, but you might not know exactly how it works. Luckily the experts at Yoga Journal has outlined six ways meditation can make you feel happy at work with tips from meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.

1 It helps you find a sense of meaning
There’s nothing worse than giving a job your all but not knowing what your work means. Sharon says you can use meditation to infuse your day with your own personal objectives, which gives you focus and meaning.

2 It keeps you grounded
Many people have days when they want to throw in the towel and walk out of a job, but Sharon says this is the time to meditate and focus on the things you can change. Doing this will help you see the bigger picture, which most often isn’t as bad as your worst day.

3 It gives you a break
Sharon says it’s not possible to be mindful all the time, so she recommends taking 10-20 minutes every day for a quick meditation session. This gives you a break from your work and makes it easier to take a moment to centre yourself and get your head back in the game.

4 It creates breathing space
When you’re feeling stressed or you experience something upsetting at work, take a deep breath to centre yourself. That allows you to hold back a brash reaction and actually think about your next move.

5 It helps you unwind
Meditation gives you a better understanding of your body and your energy, which means it’ll be easier for you to see when you need to switch off and take some time away from work. You’ll be able to better judge when the phone needs to go away so you don’t check messages after work hours.

6 Helpful meditation tips
Sharon recommends 10-20 minutes of meditation every day, whether you’re sitting or walking. She says you should focus on your breathing and gently reel yourself back in if your mind wanders. Don’t be harsh on yourself if you find it hard to do this at first; learning to let go and not place the blame can help ease away the stress of the day. Check out Sharon’s book Real Happiness at Work for more tips.

Read the original article at bit.ly/2fX5viV