By Ashley Stahl, Originally Published in Forbes
These days, American employees are more stressed out than ever. They’re underusing vacation days and overworking themselves, to the point where America has become the most overworked developed country in the world. In fact, 85% of men and 66% of women report working more than 40 hours a week. This is all despite the fact that productivity has risen 400% since the 1950s, meaning it should take Americans a quarter of the time to accomplish the same tasks. Yet there they are, shooting off emails at all hours of the day, working hard and gaining stress.
As a career coach and the creator of a job hunting e-course, I’m surrounded by honorable workers who want to get ahead, but please note that burnout is real… And you cannot dodge it.
Needless to say stress has a negative impact on your career, leading to poor time management, lack of focus, and overall burnout. And when you’re burnt out, you’re not working to your full potential. So all those extra hours you’re putting in when you’re already burned out and overwhelmed aren’t actually serving your career, they’re hurting it in the long run.
So what can you do about it? The answer may sound silly, but it’s been proven to improve anxiety, stress, and even physical pain.
Meditate.
Meditation has seen a rise in popularity, from accessible smart phone apps to packed yoga classes. It makes sense… in a society so packed with overwhelmed and overworked employees, everyone’s looking for a way to de-stress and get back into their work flow, so their careers can skyrocket.
There are many different types of meditation, so no matter what your preference or availability, you’ll be able to find something to at least try. Here are four popular forms of meditation that you can try at home or even at work (yes, you an actually meditate in the office).
- Mindfulness. This is all about being present with your thoughts, and being fully aware of your surroundings. You can practice mindfulness by focusing on your breathing. It only takes a few minutes!
- Guided. This is where those smart phone apps come in. You’re being led by a guide to visualize relaxing images or situations to create a sense of calm.
- Chakra. For chakra meditation, many people will light incense or use crystals in order to help them concentrate on their chakras, different centers of energy in your body.
- Yoga. Grab your mat and start stretching. Yoga is one of the most popular forms of meditation, and involves poses and breath work to promote calmness.
I know that when I first started getting into meditation, I didn’t really know where to begin. Luckily, I stumbled across some amazing experts who really helped me understand meditation and how it can work for me. Here are my favorites!
Emily Fletcher, Ziva Meditation
Emily’s practice is all about decreasing stress while increasing productivity through the “three m’s”: Mindfulness, Meditation, and Manifesting.
Sarah Anne Stewart, Sarah Anne Stewart
Sarah is a holistic health coach who focuses on using meditation for body positivity, weight loss, and health.
Sarah Blondin, Live Awake
Sarah is host of the Live Awake Podcast, all about gaining perspective and using reflection and guided meditation to ground you. She’s also featured on Insight Timer, one of the most popular meditation apps.
Chandresh Bhardwaj, Break the Norms
Chandresh is a spiritual advisor who comes from seven generations of Indian spiritual healers. He’s the founder of Break the Norms, a nonprofit meant to spread spirituality and guidance to everyone.
Hopefully, having some insight into the benefits of meditation, the different types you can practice, and some leading experts in the field, you can begin your journey to de-stressing and boosting your career.
When was the last time you took a moment out of your day to refocus your mind, your breathing, and your body? Are you ready to start now?
For a FREE course to land a new job you love, launch your dream business, or find your purpose, visit https://ashleystahl.com/