As the day begins at the break of dawn for many of us, it also begins with the constant mental chatter of our brains rhyming off the tasks that need to be started, completed, or maintained for the day.
Breezing through the mundane tasks of brushing our teeth, checking emails, & everything between, eventually brings us to our desks where we anticipate the 'real work' to be done. One hour turns into two, then three, and maybe even four, & before you know it, we are full of tension and maybe even work-related frustrations.
Many companies have placed millions of dollars into the training of their staff in order to guarantee high performance however, many have yet to implement the time allowance, or training for employees to learn to mentally/physically decompress at their desks.
Decompression is a term I like to use to describe removing tension from your mental & physical space, & creating the room for ease & calm to enter.
Although your desk time or work time may be closely monitored, I'd like to take the time to encourage you to decompress at your desk so that you can be a better version of you at work and feel more at ease when it's time to go home.
Here are some simple decompression exercises you can try:
Deep Breathing....C'mon just try it! Take a deep breath & hold it for 3-5 seconds. Then breathe it out. Do this 5 times & feel the tension start to leave your body. The increased oxygen to your brain helps you feel less cloudy & more at ease.
Self-Massage Using both of your hands, place your 4 fingers (on each hand) at the base of your neck on both sides. Then place your thumbs down just above your collar bone on each side. You should feel a large piece of muscle between your fingers & thumbs. Gently massage this muscle by gently pulling your fingers towards your ears while your thumbs remain in place. You will notice your elbows moving slightly up & down. Do this for 1-2 mins & you will feel your body begin to relax. Remember to be gentle as you do not want to pull or injure your muscle.
Tension Blowing Take a deep deliberate breath & forcefully push the breath out. Breathe in for a count of 2, & then breath out forcefully for another count of 2. Try this for a round of 5 (5 deep breathes & 5 exhales). If you need to do more, please do! I find this exercise to be very helpful if I really don't have time to spare but need a couple moment to regroup & destress fast.
We all have a job to do, & time is of the essence. I encourage you to use these exercises to help balance yourself while at your desk, at work in general, or just needing a moment to regroup. Wellness is your friend. Be well friend!
-Samantha (Owner of Axum Oils)