Does your work ever feel stressful or draining?
In the twenty-first century, it’s not uncommon for work to be a significant source of anxiety or stress. This can be true whether you’re facing urgent deadlines, caring for patients or clients, or working closely with others in a team environment.
In this blog, you’ll discover some important tools and principles that you can use to experience more joy, inspiration, and meaning in your work life. All of these principles are based on the wisdom of Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong.
In Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, stress is seen as a potent form of energy that takes up a lot of space in your mind and body. Therefore, if you’re frequently filled with stress or anxiety at work, it will be very difficult to truly experience the rewarding qualities that your work could otherwise offer.
In other words, as long as your mind and body are experiencing stress, you likely won’t have the capacity to be in touch with joy and inspiration. Based on this, Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong focus on helping you release stress and anxiety so you have more energy for the feelings that you wish to experience at work, or anywhere for that matter.
To a large extent, stress is the result of energy becoming stagnant within your being. When your energy doesn’t move throughout your body, it’s often held in the form of tension and tightness.
To overcome stress, it’s important to consistently move your body so energy can circulate. When your body becomes physically engaged, it naturally helps melt away tension so you can cultivate a sense of calmness and relaxation. Therefore, it can be a good idea to take frequent work breaks so you can take a walk, stretch your body, or do a brief Qi Gong routine.
Another common source of stress is restless thinking. When your mind is constantly focused on the past or future, stress can build up in your body and mind. This is especially true for fear-based thoughts that are focused on all of the things that could possibly go wrong. For example, if you’re constantly thinking and worrying about the possibility of missing an upcoming deadline at work, that thought process can quickly lead to an unpleasant state of stress and anxiety.
To help alleviate stressful thoughts, you must first acknowledge the thoughts and feelings you’re experiencing. Then, try to intentionally release those thoughts and feelings so they’re no longer held in your body. In Qi Gong, many stress-releasing exercises include letting go of old energy through your exhalation when you breathe.
In addition to letting go of stress and anxiety, it’s also important to fill your mind and body with the energies you want to experience.
If you want to experience more joy and inspiration at work (who doesn’t!), try to focus on those qualities within yourself. This can be as simple as closing your eyes for a minute or so, tapping into the energy of joy, and smiling to yourself.
There’s a saying in Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong, “Qi flows where the mind goes.” In other words, the feelings and thoughts that you focus on will flourish. Those that you don’t focus on will become less present within your mind and body.
When it comes to work, try to find joy and inspiration in your day-to-day activities. If you work closely with others, try to find points of positive connection that uplift both your energy and that of those you work with. Even quick, minor interactions are opportunities to cultivate the seeds of joy and inspiration.
Of course, it’s easier to experience joy and inspiration at work when those feelings are already strong within yourself. Therefore, if you start each work day with a healthy practice that helps you orient towards those internal feelings, it will be much easier to experience joy and inspiration as you go about your work day.
Although it’s very important to experience less stress and more joy at work, often that isn’t quite enough for you to feel fully fulfilled and satisfied.
If you’re like many people, you also desire meaning and impact in your work.
Part of experiencing meaning and impact has to do with choosing work that aligns with your values. If you care about helping people, it’s wise to find a work role that allows you to positively impact your fellow humans in some way.
However, even if your work role aligns with your values, it can sometimes be easy to forget about the positive impact that you’re having on those around you.
Amid daily routines, many people become hyperfocused on their day-to-day activities and don’t always think about all of the positive impacts that their work has on others. When that happens, you might feel that work lacks meaning or depth.
To find more meaning in your work, try to become aware of all of the ways in which your presence contributes to others, including all of the ways that seem small. Remember, you don’t need to come up with a cure for cancer or start a huge charity organization to have a positive impact on the world. Rather, all of the small acts of kindness in your work and life can culminate into a meaningful and rewarding work life.
This approach to meaning at work is in alignment with the Qi Gong principle of being attuned to the flow of energy. By cultivating an awareness of the subtle movement of energy and the impact you truly have, you can find greater meaning and fulfillment in all aspects of your life.
The practice of Qi Gong has many benefits, including helping you release stress, cultivate joy and inspiration, and find greater meaning. Of course, these qualities can go a long way to helping you experience a more joyful and rewarding work life.
To learn how to apply these principles yourself, be sure to check out the Thirty-Day Qi Gong Challenge.
When you sign up for the Thirty-Day Challenge, you’ll get access to thirty unique Qi Gong routines that are each just seven minutes long. This makes it easy to find time to practice each and every morning before you start work. You can also do the practices during work breaks to help you recharge throughout your day.
Starting your day with a Qi Gong routine is a perfect way to release stress, cultivate joy, and find more meaning in your life. Although the Thirty-Day Challenge isn’t specifically aimed at helping your work life, all of the practices can be applied to help you experience these nourishing qualities at work.
Click on the banner below to discover how Qi Gong can help you feel your best at work and any time.
