Cultivate Your Chill One Step at a Time

With the end of your work week on the horizon, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about your plans for the weekend, which means it’s even easier to view workplace obstacles as sources of aggravation rather than opportunity. But the trick is to keep calm! Don’t make mountains out of molehills. Tackle each task as it comes your way without letting it get to you. You can do that by breaking down everything you need to do into smaller steps, coming up with solutions that’ll engage you in both body and mind. Starting small will let you accomplish huge successes. The pros we’re highlighting below have tips and tricks to keeping yourself cool, calm, and collected at work while striving towards your goals.

Henrik Edberg at The Positivity Blog shares this fabulous method for dialing down any professional stress that may be contributing to a negative attitude: “Take it just one small – or tiny – step at a time. If you feel overwhelmed and stressed out then don’t make the classic mistake of thinking you have to do everything at once to solve this situation. Just focus on making a start. One small step or even just a tiny one you can take to move forward. I find that when I approach a situation like this then I rarely get stuck in analysis paralysis and my mind calms down when I know I only have to do one small thing at a time.” Writing out a to do list that breaks down your bigger tasks into smaller steps is a helpful way to identify concrete actions you can take to tackle workplace obstacles, allowing you to breathe a bit more easily at work. This will also let you be a better collaborator with your workplace community, bosses and colleagues alike. Having a strong support system is another way to alleviate your professional tensions.

We also love this method from Daniel Wallen at Lifehack: “Loosen up…perform a quick body scan to identify any areas that are tight or tense. Clenched jaw? Rounded shoulders? Anything else that isn’t at ease? Gently touch or massage any of your body parts that are under tension to encourage total relaxation. It might help to imagine you’re in a place that calms you: a beach, hot tub, or nature trail, for example.” Need inspiration for imagining your happy, calm place? Just take a look at the soothing images we’re showcasing this week for each of our blog posts! While you may physically be in your workspace, take a moment to recall a soothing location that contributed to your sense of inner chill. Find the joy in these memories, and apply them to your present. Be sure you’re also appreciating the way Wallen’s small steps you can physically take contribute to your overall sense of well-being. 

Remember that you’re bringing a holistic approach to your professional endeavors–which means the whole of you is involved in every workplace success. Make sure you’re attending to the needs of both your body and your mind, as these can both contribute to a needless increase in tension. Cultivate a sense of chill internally and internally by staying grounded in the moment, and viewing every obstacle as a source of opportunity. Check out our blog again tomorrow for ways to end your week on a positive note with our Feel Good Friday: Chill edition.

This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston