3 Ways Your Body Can Make You Better at Work

Most of us want calmer days. We want work days that are free of stress and conflict. While we can’t stop the people around us from acting out in response to stress or conflict, we can do something about our own stress levels. That one simple thing is to return our attention to the body.

Focusing on your body during stressful moments is not only calming, it also helps you to be more mindful by directing your attention to the specific areas you choose. A good example of this is changing your work computer password to something like “breathe,” to be reminded of calming rituals each time you log in. A prompt like this one will help you remember to focus on the task at hand and not on other things. Here are some additional ways to return your attention to your body.

Focus on the sensation of your breath. Place your attention on your breath as you breathe in and out. Feel the air drift through your nostrils (feel it become cooler as you breathe in, become warmer as you breathe out) and contract your diaphragm. Try to hold on to your breath for a few minutes, allowing your stomach to fill up, creating a round belly. As you breathe out, imagine any anger, stress or other negative emotions drifting away with that breath. Repeat this process three times.

Your breath (the simple act of breathing in and out) can be a secret meditative solution to stress. To activate this stress-reduction tool, just concentrate on your breath as it moves in and out. Your mind will wander (this is completely natural), so gently and calmly focus on your breath once more. Your thoughts will settle as they will—no need to interject. Just focus on your breath.

How are you really feeling right now? Find out by concentrating on the top of your head and moving your attention slowly down your body across your face, jawline, neck, legs and feet. Make sure to feel every part of your body as you move your attention. Notice any tension or pain? What does that sensation feel like? Do you know what might have caused it or where it came from? Gather these details and really notice how your body feels.

The more in tune we are with our bodies, the better work colleagues we become. If you take a moment to check in with yourself and note that you are feeling aware of any discomfort, you will be less likely to bottle up those feelings and allow them to escape in the form of snapping at someone, yelling, falsely blaming or otherwise lashing out. Simply by practicing these three body awareness techniques, we can learn to embrace our whole selves at work.

Leah Weiss, PhD, is a Stanford Graduate School of Business professor, consultant, researcher, and author of How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim your Sanity and Embrace the Daily Grind. She teaches courses on compassionate leadership and is principal teacher and founding faculty for Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program, conceived by the Dalai Lama.