Top Ten Spiritual Office Pick-Me-Ups

Top Ten Spiritual Office Pick-Me-Ups

Tips for soothing your soul while doing a hard day's work.

By Lilit Marcus and Holly Rossi

While sitting in front of a computer all day might be good for your checkbook, it's not always great for your body and soul. These tips will help you keep your spirit at ease on even the most stressful of days.

Tip #1: Pencil Yourself In

Schedule a few five- or ten-minute increments on your office calendar each day. Label them things like "Take a nice, deep breath" or "Get up and walk a lap around the office." When the reminders pop up onto your screen, take those few minutes to re-charge. A bonus--those times will show up as "busy" on your calendar, so you're guaranteed five or ten minutes a day just for you.

Tip #2: Use Desktop Aromatherapy

Not allowed to have a candle in the office because it's deemed a fire hazard? Keep a bottle of essential oil at your desk for whenever you need to perk up your senses and smell something pleasing.

Tip #3: Don't Forget to Chit-Chat

They call it "water cooler talk" for a reason: get up, get a glass of water, and make a point to say hello and check in with at least one coworker. The only rule for these social moments is that you can't talk about work.

You don't have to have a long, drawn out gab session--simply ask your coworkers about their family, what they did this weekend, or their favorite movie. Just don't drill them about that presentation they're working on.

Tip #4: Surround Yourself with Happy People and Places

Save several pictures of friends, family, and favorite vacation places on your computer. Use them as screen savers and wallpaper. Every time you turn on your computer, you'll see a happy, familiar image. Also, bring in framed photos for your desk, or to pin up onto your cubicle walls, so you can feel the presence of your favorite people all day long.


Tip #5: Reenergize Your Eyes

Getting eyestrain from staring at a computer all day? Keep a small bottle of rosewater (available at any health food store) nearby.

Dab a little bit near (but not directly on) the eye, then close your eyes and let the soothing vapors wash over your tired eyes.

Tip #6: Give Yourself a Hand

Most people don't realize how much tension they have in their hands. After typing all day, your poor digits need a break. Give yourself a hand massage using some of the techniques. Also, make sure your desk is set up in the most hand-friendly manner so that you can avoid carpal tunnel syndrome .

Tip #7: Just Breathe

You don't have to retreat from the world to have a meditative experience. Try one of Beliefnet's brief audio meditations to quiet your mind and refresh your spirit-right at your desk.





Tip #8: Rein in the Stress Talk

Allow yourself a maximum of fifteen minutes a day to complain to a friend or relative about your work-related stress. While it's important to vent and get your feelings out, constantly bringing up work-related issues will only make you tenser, which in turn will make you less able to cope with the offending stressful situations.




Tip #9: Nurture Your Spirit

Want to feel connected with your spirituality at the office but worried that spiritual practice takes too long? Check out Beliefnet's list of 10 Quick Ways to Pray and see which ones you can incorporate into your workday to ensure that your spiritual life doesn't entirely shut down between 9 and 5.


Tip #10: Take Time to Eat

Do you usually work through your lunch break, thinking it will help you get ahead on deadlines? It might do you more good in the long run to use that time to step away from your desk, and that doesn't mean running errands. Pack a lunch and eat in the park. Sit somewhere quiet and people-watch. Use the time to check in with yourself and how your day is going. You'll go back to your desk feeling refreshed and ready to make the best use of your time.

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