What is awareness?
A simple Google search yielding roughly 12.9 Million results in regards to the question “What is awareness?” Oxford University Press (an affiliate of Google) defines awareness as “Knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.” The Wikipedia community of collective users defines awareness as “the ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, thoughts, emotions, or sensory patterns”. I define awareness as our ability to understanding and use knowledge to benefit us into the future. Knowing and understanding arise through experience and our ability to be present through our actions. With a lack of presence we will have little awareness and will ultimately be unable to change or affect the circumstances for the outcome of the future. Awareness is very important in all aspects of life.
The workplace is an environment that most of us experience five days a week. It is a place where we are required to perform to the best of our ability, whether we like to or not. The workplace consists of many different people, from different backgrounds with different ideas. There is a certain dynamic that exists within a workplace that one must understand to survive and flourish. In many ways, the workplace is an environment in which one is asked to shed their identity in order to assume that of the culture or the workplace. For many of us this can be a difficult process, as we have each been raised with our own ideals and morals. In a workplace, it is easy to feel isolated, unhappy and discontent, but one can also feel happy, enjoyed and fulfilled.
Using yoga in a workplace?
Yoga is an ancient practice that has been used for thousands of years. Some of the first documented accounts of yoga are roughly 4,000 years old, but it was not until the early 3rd and 4th centuries that yoga was codified into a practice. At this time, yoga became a practice that was based on a systematic approach to obtaining a goal, which for most was enlightenment or contentment in all things. Today, yoga has become a very popular athletic activity that has proven physical and mental benefits. Below I have provided some old yoga practices that can be equally beneficial to us today.
Practices:
1. Listen.
Listen to your co-workers or bosses! There is nothing worse at work than feeling unheard when one feels they have something to contribute. Listening is beneficial for both the talker and receiver. It will benefit you substantially to listen and receive.
2. Take 5 minutes to breathe.
Find a quiet space. Place your iPhone or Android on silent, close your eyes for 5 minutes, and Breathe! Doing this will create enough space to allow the body to relax so that you are able to work on resolving your issue. Even a 5 minute space may be enough for the brain to reset and come back to relaxation.
3. Take a walk or stretch.
Go outside and walk around your building or stretch! Exercise can relax both the body and the mind. This can be especially healthy whenever you’re stuck in a moment. Even a short walk helps the mind and body to work through difficult situations we encounter on a daily basis while working.
4. Be Kind.
Go out of your way to be kind! At work it is easy to get wrapped up in our own commitments and timelines. Take a minute out of your day to show someone a smile or genuinely greeting. These simple gestures can have profound effects on someone else and yourself!
I have found these four practices to be very beneficial in my work environment. Most importantly of all, always try to be positive and kind to yourself. This is an extremely difficult practice to do but it will serve you well in life! One of my favorite teachers of yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar, said to “be light in life”. Life can be difficult, overbearing and even frustrating. Even the thought of lightness can lift the clouds and bring forth the shining light.
If you are still feeling stressed out at the workplace, even after implementing these habits, then it might be time to get a check up. To schedule an appointment with your primary care physician for additional assistance in resolving your concerns.
From: Keck Medicine of USC