Change is difficult and stressful, but the level of change triggered by the coronavirus outbreak is indeed gigantic. And that’s why it’s crucial to take preventive measures to manage our stress levels and to seek help whenever we need it. Namita Piparaiya, yoga and Ayurvedic lifestyle specialist, offers some tips:
Take conscious breaks
Mindfulness is an accessible and highly effective form of self-care. You learn to disconnect your overloaded senses from all distractions and focus only on yourself, your body, your breath and the sensations you feel. It helps you shift your brain from constantly active mode to just being mode. It allows you to tap into a state of immense calm and peace that is always within your reach. You can take mindful breaks while sitting at your desk and focusing on your breathing. Or you can get out into nature to ground yourself and walk mindfully. You can even consciously eat your food to experiment with this practice and give your nervous system the break it needs.
Practicing Yoga Nidra
If you start to spot the early signs of burnout like irritability, disinterest in your work, lack of motivation, and lethargy, you should start making time for small Yoga Nidra breaks. Yoga Nidra is a great practice to include in your daily routine. You can practice it for 10 minutes or 40 minutes, during the day or before sleeping – it all depends on what works for you. The best part is that all you have to do is lie down and listen to the teacher’s instructions. It takes you into a calming pre-meditative state which is great for relaxation and improving cognitive abilities. This one feels like a mini vacation once you’re done!
Explore guided visualizations
One of the most powerful ways to influence our body and mind is through visualization. It helps condition our brain to achieve our goals and refocuses our energies towards our vision. You can even use visualization and imagery to reset your nervous system with relaxing guided meditations. One of the most popular is viewing the garden. Imagine yourself in a beautiful garden, then use all your senses to immerse yourself in the experience. By observing the colors you can see, pick up the different smells emanating from the garden and use your sense of touch to feel the breeze against your skin. Even if you only visualize them in your mind, the effect is still very powerful on your body.
Ask others for help
You don’t have to fight all your battles alone. Especially when it comes to work, you should ask for help when needed. Be it colleagues, HR or supervisors. There’s a lot more mental health awareness out there, and chances are you’ll get the support you need. For example, maybe you need to ask your boss to redistribute the work on your plate. Or maybe you feel like you don’t have enough say or control over your work, please share your feedback clearly and politely. It can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding. Remember that your mental health is a priority, so don’t let it suffer, seek help.
