In our culture, many of us work long hours and spend too much time sitting in front of computers or other electronic devices. Over time, this sedentary lifestyle can lead to a host of physical and mental ailments, everything from orthopedic issues, to high blood pressure, to cognitive decline. So it’s recommended to take breaks every thirty minutes, even just for 5 minutes, to reduce eye strain and tension in the body. But how often do we take breaks from our habitual self as well? Even if we get up from our desk for a glass of water or to look out the window, how do we let go of the thoughts and feelings—the anxiety—associated with our job? Here are two ways to do so.
Put Your Body In Motion
Our jobs can be mentally and emotionally demanding at times and it is important to let go for regular periods of time. Not only can this reduce stress, the repetitive thoughts and tension held in the body, but also anxiety, our thoughts about what we need to get done, by when, and the challenges we face in executing a task. For those with desk jobs, especially at a computer, work tasks involve a lot of thinking and feeling, so a lot of energy is going to those two centers and this imbalance can create a state of disharmony between our three main energy centers. Therefore it is important to take breaks from such activity and to tip the scale back toward the body, as a separate entity from thought and feeling, when excessive energy is flowing to the latter. One way to do so is to put your body in motion.
A great way to do this is to leave your work space and go outside. Take a walk around the block if you live in the city, or on your road if you live in the country. As you start out, walk as fast as you can, moving your body vigorously as if you might break into a run. Try to do this for 10 minutes to really get your body moving. Focus your mind on your breathing and the simple act of your body in motion. Swing your arms as you walk. Feel your feet hitting the ground and the air enveloping your body. Pick a point in the distance, such as the horizon or the tree line and focus your gaze on that. At times your mind will begin to wander and you will react to what you see and hear but bring your attention back to your body in movement and your breathing.
Once you feel your heart rate is up and your breathing gets heavier you can slow down a bit but keep walking with the intention of walking consciously, that is, pay attention to your body and the fact that it moves. As you walk, scan your body from head to toe to reduce any tension, especially your forehead, around the eyes, your jaw, inside your mouth, arms and legs.
If you can find a place in nature to walk, such as a trail in the woods or park, all the better. As you slow down to a normal pace, make contact with the life force within you. You can do so by focusing on the rise and fall of your breath and imagining that this breath is linked to all life existing everywhere: the “aliveness” emanating from all plants, animals, and other beings you pass. If you’re doing this exercise for the first time and you find that you feel uncomfortable or silly around other people, simply avoid them for the time being. Later, through practice, you will build the stamina and calm to do this exercise anywhere and around anyone.
Again, as you walk, project your life force out into nature, feel your connection to everything around you and imagine that you feed, and are fed, by the life force flowing from other things. It can be helpful to look at every plant, tree, animal that you encounter as if looking at these beings for the first time, as if you’ve never seen them before.
Stop walking periodically. Just stand and become totally still. Relax and come back to the awareness of yourself and the life within you, then continue to carry that feeling as you put your body back into motion as your return home.
Know, and feel, that you are totally alive and nourished by the force both within and without you.
When your mind begins to wander, pause again, sense your whole body standing there, make the connection to all living things around you and continue to walk. If you struggle with quieting your mind at times, and cannot resist the pull of your thoughts and feelings reacting to your environment, then walk faster. Put a greater emphasis on your body walking. It can also be helpful to say to yourself a few times “it is walking” as you bring your attention back to your body moving quickly in motion. Or, you can say: “It is walking but I am here. I am here.” Saying these words, or another focus phrase, will help give your mind something to do if it begins to daydream.
If you cannot get outside, then stand up from your desk and walk in place but do so vigorously. You can also do any exercise you like such as push ups or sit ups, yoga or some other form of stretching that you prefer. If there is a staircase nearby, then walk up and down the stairs 10-15 times, or however long it takes for you to fully immerse yourself in the activity of walking the stairs and to really elevate your heart rate. As stated previously, when your mind begins to wander, bring your attention back to your body movement and pick up your pace. Do this repeatedly until your break your identification with all you have going on at work and within yourself. You can return to that “mind chatter” later. It will certainly be there, waiting for you!
Lie Down
In the afternoon when I need to reboot, I like to lie on the floor. A hardwood floor or any surface that is firm is good. I would advise not to lie down on your bed or a place where you normally sleep, as the purpose of this exercise is not to take a nap but to stay present and aware of yourself lying on the floor in a relaxed state of being.
Find a place that is quiet and free from distraction. If you need to use white noise to drown out ambient sounds from other parts of your home, then do so. This also means to silence your phone or turn it off. You can also set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes, if you’re worried you might fall asleep, or you know you have to get back to work soon.
Lie down on your back with your feet about a shoulder width apart. Let your arms relax along your body but slightly away from your torso. Turn your palms upward but don’t try to hold them open; let your fingers relax and curl inward. Allow your feet to fall open to their sides. If you’re familiar with the sivansana (or corpse pose) in yoga, take this posture.
Close your eyes to reduce some of the sensory information flowing into you and relax your whole body, especially your face, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. Let yourself sink into the floor. Your body should feel heavy and totally relaxed. If needed, scan your body from head to toe and release any tension that you find in your muscles.
Breathe naturally and remain open and receptive, as if you are connecting every cell of your body to energy from a higher level of consciousness.
If you still feel the stress of the day and your mind is racing, breathe in slowly and deeply by focusing your attention on the center of your belly. Practice this a few times, so that you become familiar with breathing by expanding your abdomen in every direction like a balloon rather than just breathing through your chest. When you feel comfortable doing this and it starts to feel natural, try breathing in while counting to 4 in your mind and then breathe out, as if you’re blowing air through a straw while counting to 8. If this is too challenging, then breathe in for a 3-count and out on a 6-count, again, as if you’re blowing air through a straw. Continue to do this as you relax.
Once you’ve calmed down a bit. Become emotionally open and receptive. Again, one way to do this is to imagine that you’re linking up with all life in the universe. You are ready to receive energy from a higher source. Keep bringing your attention back to the sensation of your body lying on the floor if and when your mind wanders.
If you still struggle to quiet down, try squeezing and releasing each major limb in rotation (e.g., your right arm, your right leg, your left leg, and your left arm in that order). Contract each limb for 30 seconds by counting to yourself sub-vocally and then release the tension before moving on to the next limb. Repeat this exercise for 4 cycles.
Notice the sensation of energy in your limbs when you finish. You can always bring your attention back to the existence of those limbs, and the energy within them, anytime your mind starts to drift again. With practice, you can use the sensation of your body to ground yourself into the present moment. Once you are calmer and can remain in this state with ease, continue to breathe naturally and remain still and quiet.
You can pretend your lying there like a dead body if that helps. Ultimately you want to drift off a bit and remain in a state between “waking” and sleeping. If you doze off, that’s okay. When you wake up try to remain quiet for a few minutes; again, by sensing the existence of your body lying on the floor. Bring your attention to the life force within yourself and the fact that you are alive. When you feel restored and more balanced, roll over on your side, bring your knees toward your chest and slowly stand up and return to the day’s activities. Remember to drink plenty of water and continue to take breaks every 30 mins if you can, especially to stand up and move around, even if it’s for 5 minutes.
Lying down on a hardwood floor in a quiet and receptive posture like this not only helps with reducing stress and giving you a quick energy boost; it can also help you tap into a more creative flow, especially if you’re feeling stuck and are not sure how to solve a work or life challenge. For me, insights often come in these quiet moments when I let go and completely open myself up to the world around me.