We are exposed to some form of stress every day:
- Traffic
- Running late
- The morning rush to get the kids off to school on time
- Cutting it close to a deadline
- Worrying about our health
- Working out at a high intensity
- Balancing multiple projects
- Scheduling many appointments or events in one day
- Experiencing disagreements on ideas in meetings
- Having negative thoughts
There are many others and, throughout the week, these types of stresses are hard to escape. Our body is built to handle a high amount of stress; however, the more we are exposed to these stressors and the less time we spend relaxing, the worse it is for our bodies.
When we experience a stressor, our body views it as a threat and needs to take action. As a result, our brain releases cortisol, and adrenaline is pumped throughout the body. This causes our core temperature and heart rate to increase, getting us ready to respond to the issue. After we respond and feel good about the outcome, we take a deep breath, cortisol levels decrease and our body returns to resting levels.
Now, imagine this cycle continuously repeating as we jump from task to task and deal with stressors every day. If this cycle continues to run without enough time to relax, cortisol levels can remain elevated and we can become more irritated, handle our daily responsibilities with less effectiveness, decrease our sleep quality and weaken our immune system – putting us at a greater risk of becoming sick. If you are actively going to the gym and are trying to meet your fitness goals, elevated cortisol levels may even get in the way of or delay your achievement of these goals.
So what can we do at work to combat this stress cycle? Consider taking mindful breaks throughout your day! This will help you become more effective, increase positivity, increase awareness and free up space in your mind. To get the most out of each day, try a few of the mindful breaks below. All of these will help promote relaxation and flush away cortisol from your body.
- Take a yoga class
- If you had a stressful day, avoid a high intensity workout
- If you are craving a high intensity workout, do so 1-3 times a week
- Spend at least 30 minutes walking outdoors
- Dedicate 10 minutes for meditation and deep breathing practice
- Do some quiet reading on non-work related material
- Stretch at your work station
- Get up and move
- Eat lunch away from your work station
- Walk over to someone else’s workstation when you have a question