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Work stress. We all feel it, whether we’re struggling to find 15 minutes for lunch or responding to emails at 10 p.m. But a regular meditation practice can help, says meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness at Work.
“Sometimes people are really concerned about practicing meditation or mindfulness at work. They think they’ll lose their edge, or they won’t strive or seek excellence,” says Salzberg. “But it actually opens up the door to being more creative and finding a sense of meaning.”
Regularly focusing on cultivating self-awareness through these practices can also teach you how to manage stress at work in a more sustainable way.
6 Ways Meditation Can Help You Feel Happier at Work
A regular meditation practice isn’t just about quieting your mind and reducing stress in the moment. It’s about cultivating skills, such as mindfulness, that you can apply to any situation—including mind-blowingly frustrating days at work. Maybe your goal has always been simply to survive the work day. Perhaps with some mindfulness, you can even experience playfulness, not dread, during it.
1. It Can Help You Find Meaning
Studies have shown that one of the strongest indicators of happiness at work is a sense of purpose, so Salzberg recommends infusing your day with something that gives you personal meaning. For example, say to yourself, “I will try to be compassionate to everyone I encounter” or “I will try to communicate well,” she suggests. This focus can transform your day, she says.
2. It Can Lessen Emotional Reactivity
We’ve all had moments when we’ve given up on how to be happy at work and wanted to march out the door—or if you work remotely, slam your laptop shut. But the bills aren’t going to pay themselves, so it’s important to be realistic, says Salzberg.
Ask yourself, “What do I see as a realistic path to change my situation?” she says. “See what you can change, and see what’s actually happening (without focusing on your immediate reactions). Focus on the bigger picture. Even if you’re seeking change, doing so from a less driven, less reactive place is a good thing.”
3. It Teaches You to Manage Expectations
“It’s not realistic to be mindful all the time at work,” says Salzberg says. And for most, adding an hour of meditation—or even 10 minutes—to the work calendar isn’t an option. Fortunately, that’s not necessary in order to experience the benefits of the practice.
“One of my teachers once recommended ‘short moments many times,’” says Salzberg. That can mean as little as one minute of sitting or walking meditation, she says.
Instead of expecting a specific outcome, make the meditation “a dedicated period where you’re only trying to cultivate awareness and compassion. That will make it so much easier to have those short moments many times a day,” explains Salzberg.
4. It Emphasizes the Breath
If you’ve received an upsetting email or had a tense moment with your boss, remember to breathe, Salzberg advises. “If you breathe and come back to the moment, it brings you back to your values and what you really want to see come out of the situation. It’s actually a very powerful thing to do,” she says.
5. It Quiets Outside Noise
If you’re checking your work emails first thing in the morning and last thing at night, mindfulness and meditation can help you unplug, says Salzberg. “The more aware we get, the more we see the consequences of certain actions. You realize that you need to take a break—you feel the stress in the body and you feel compassion for yourself. This helps you put down your device and establish new boundaries and new habits.”
5. It Teaches You to Let Go
Meditation isn’t about completely ridding your mind of thoughts. It’s about observing them.
When your mind wanders, kindly and gently let go of the distraction and bring your attention back to your breath, explains Salzberg. “This is really, really important—the ability to let go and come back without a lot of blame and resentment,” she says. Cultivating this skill can help us do the same thing to cope with work stress.
6. It Shifts Your Perspective.
Work is only one aspect of your life and only one part of your day, says Salzberg. “Meditation and mindfulness can remind you of that, giving you more flexibility of mind. You’re purposefully, intentionally asking yourself, ‘How else can I look at things?’ Have fun with it. See your very life and your day as a creative medium.”
This article has been updated. Originally published November 10, 2016.