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5 Tips to get your presence back
Whether you’re having dinner with friends or reading your child a bedtime story, you have the right to feel present in your personal life. However, for many of us actually ‘switching off’ from work is harder to achieve than we realise.
So what is the impact of a ‘false’ break from work vs a ‘real’ one on our health and wellbeing? According to the Centre for Mindfulness Research & Practice at Bangor University in Wales, constantly being on high alert triggers the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.
While cortisol will usually disappear within five minutes, the urge to continually check emails or think about work tasks keeps re-triggering its release. Not only can prolonged presence of this hormone affect our immune system it can also impact our ability to think clearly or make objective decisions.
To help you switch off and take a ‘real’ break from your work environment, here are some easy tips to get you into new habits.
1. EMBRACE THE FRESH AIR
Exercising releases endorphins, and even a 30-minute walk will help restore your body and give you the fresh air you need. For added relaxation, listen to some acoustic tunes along the way.
2. SHARE YOUR INTERESTS
It’s important to find interests outside of work, and communities of people you can connect with. This helps to stimulate your mind in a way that doesn’t involve your occupation. Pursue one of your hobbies or try something new and get involved with a special interest group in your area. ‘Meetup’ is a great place to browse, with categories ranging from ‘outdoors and adventure’ to ‘hobbies and crafts’ and even ‘sci-fi and games’.
3. LITERALLY SWITCH OFF
Make a commitment to switching off by turning off your phone or leaving your device in a place that isn’t within easy reach. By doing this, even for a couple of hours post-shift, can help train your brain to forget about consistently checking-in on work. This simple commitment will also allow you to switch off from social media and allow you to be more present with your family and friends.
4. SLOW YOUR BREATH
Australian non-profit initiative, This Way Up, recommends a range of apps that can help you switch off and help you calm after a shift by getting you to focus on your breathing. Practice the following box breathing, four times a day so you’ll be able to recall the technique when you need:
- Sitting upright, slowly exhale through your mouth
- Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose to the count of four
- Hold your breath for another slow count of four
- Exhale through your mouth for the same slow count of four, expelling all the air from your lungs and abdomen.
5. FIND YOUR ZEN
This is the simplest technique of them all. Park yourself on a comfy chair, pop your headphones in and follow some guided meditation. Type ‘meditation’ into the App Store or in YouTube and find something that works for you – the app, ‘Headspace’ is our recommendation. Meditation isn’t just for yoga enthusiasts! People from all backgrounds and occupations use it as a way to relieve stress and while it might be difficult to initially focus, you’ll thank yourself in the long run.
