Meditation can beat work stress

Luckily there are many ways to deal with stress constructively. While we may not have full control over the external environment, we can slowly gain mastery over the internal environment, or the mind.

There are many ways to train the mind, and all of them have to do with regulating our thoughts. Here are two practical ways to train your mind and regulate your thoughts at work to lower stress and anxiety.

Give others the benefit of the doubt: People might say rude or insensitive things to you while also placing heavy work demands on you. Instead of getting angry, remain aware that they probably had no intention to be mean to you. That may be how they communicate, they may also be under a lot of pressure, and they might not be aware of what your schedule is like. Give others the benefit of the doubt with respect to their intentions, while also being clear and firm about your needs and capacity to take on work.

Actively generate positive emotions: Positive emotions such as gratitude, love, joy, etc. harmonise the mind, which can help you manage and complete your work more effectively. We can actively generate positive emotions from within ourselves. Think of all the things in your life you are grateful for. Think of those things that make you feel love, happiness, joy, etc. and really feel those positive emotions and let them wash over you. Make a habit of remaining in a positive emotional state even when there is chaos around you.

The mind is efficiency-obsessed, and therefore, it is difficult to re-orient it from patterns of negative thinking. It is useful to take up an effective meditation system to work on reconstructing our minds into dynamos of positive energy.

Every morning, we need to enhance our happiness and optimise our efficiency in life. Actions precede results; thoughts precede actions; intentions precede thoughts; and what is behind intentions? What is behind the cause affecting our intentions? How does one regulate intentions and thoughts? If you want a fresh perspective towards life, you need to go beyond the conditioning.

This de-conditioning of the inner being is called de-cluttering or cleaning, and it frees up space, and renews our energy. We need to meditate every morning to change the impressions of the past. Heartfulness meditation has a very special feature that gives us a freer state of being.

Start the day with positive activities for your well-being: Physical exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression and negative moods, and improving self-esteem.

Simple breathing exercises — oxygenating the whole system — energise the body and mind. Do this before going to sleep.

Analyse your day’s activities and see how you can improve or do things differently. We need to meditate because most of us have highly-active minds that are not tuned to stillness and focus. Heartfulness effectively reduces emotional stress and burnout and increases joy.

—  Kamlesh D Patel is the fourth spiritual Guide in the Sahaj Marg system of Raja Yoga meditation. He is a role model for students of spirituality who seek that perfect blend of eastern heart and western mind. He travels extensively and is at home with people from all backgrounds and walks of life, giving special attention to the youth of today