Stress is in the air...stress is always in the air, but now stress is front and center! The pandemic has brought stress to the forefront of every workplace setting.

As a stressbuster, I have worked on stress reduction in our everyday lives and during crises for the past 18 years.

What is this thing called stress? https://youtu.be/hF3DLdEa_Uk

  • It’s a physical, emotional, or chemical factor that creates bodily or emotional tension
  • It’s a state of anxiety produced when events (like a pandemic) or responsibilities (like coping) affect us
  • If it’s a threat to our mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual self, it is stress

If you are experiencing stress, you’re not alone. Research tells us that mindfulness meditation can help to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance the quality of sleep, lower blood pressure, and strengthen the immune system. This is all good news, but here are 5 tips to get you started:

  1. Remember that it is okay to say no; think about the quality of your encounters, rather than the quantity. This is not the time for multitasking and continuing to say yes to things that you cannot possibly fit into your schedule without creating stress.
  2. What you think, you become. Mindfulness allows us to be intentional about mindset.
  3. Employ a Take Your Temp approach; consider your thoughts, energy, mood, and perspective
  4. Practice mindfulness to improve concentration, stay on task, and reboot your brain
  5. There’s an app for that; consider CALM, HEADSPACE, PAUSE, and others

Be mindful of your emotional and mental health during the pandemic, and remember, you’re not alone!