Work – Page 8

How to Use Your Work as a Meditation Tool to Change Your Life

If we wish to make our time at work meaningful the best thing we can do is meditate while we are there. This does not mean we have to sit down in the lotus posture and chant “OM”. Rather, meditation can be done while you are working. Here is how to turn your work into a meditation tool.

Why meditate at work?

We spend most of our lives at work. Some of us will have the same job we have now til the day we die and we will be there from nine til five every single day. If we do not use our work time carefully we will waste a significant portion of our existences doing something that we resent.

The way to change that is with meditation.

Meditation has many notable benefits. It can reduce stress, increase levels of happiness, increase your capacity to retain information and so on. One of the most important benefits, however, is that meditating at work allows you to take your work from an ordinary daily pursuit to something that can truly change who you are and the way you live your life.

What EXACTLY is meditation?

I want to share with you the Tibetan word for meditation: “gom”. Gom literally means “to familiarize” and this translation gives us a great insight into what meditation truly is. It is about training the mind, beating bad mental habits and developing and nurturing positive qualities that are already present within us.

How to meditate at work

In this post I want to take a look at a few ways that you can use your work as a meditation tool. All of these techniques are simple and effective. They can be used by anyone in any type of job.

1. Focusing on the breath

One of the most simple and ancient forms of meditation is a mindfulness meditation that is focussed on the breath.

How to do it
The idea is simple. When you are sitting at your desk or walking around the office you want to bring your attention back to your breath. The aim is to count up to ten rounds of breathing. A round of breath is one inhale and one exhale. If you lose count then simply start again until you reach ten. Try and do this several times a day.

The benefits
The goal of this meditation is something called “single pointed concentration” where a person is able to focus their mind on one object for as long as they want. To achieve this is very difficult and takes many years of serious practice but we can still extract some of the benefits.

For example, by practicing breathing meditation we will be able to increase our levels of concentration for our work. We will not be distracted as easily. Furthermore, breathing meditation will help us get our stress and anxiety in order and stop the torrent of excited thoughts from washing over us all day long.

2. Mindfulness

photo credit: Irene2005

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future; live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Originally posted on April 15, 2008 @ 8:40 am

Writer’s Block: How to Solve Writer’s Block at Work

Life

This morning I had a massive case of writer’s block and a close friend suggested I write an article about it. Over the years I have developed a few simple techniques for overcoming writers block – here are a few.

What exactly is writer’s block?

If you take a look at the Wiki page on writer’s block you will see that there are many different definitions. Some people consider writer’s block is when society gets in the way of your dreams. Others consider it a side effect of depression. However, for the purpose of this post we will consider that writer’s block is when you simply cannot think of a new idea.

How to overcome writer’s block

1. Get up and get out
Sometimes writer’s block comes when you have been sitting in the same seat looking at the same screen for way too long. The best thing you can do in this situation is get up out of your seat and get out of the office and go for a walk. Sometimes a simple change in scenery is all you need to get over that mental block.

2. Read, read, read
All of the best authors and writers in history did a lot of reading. The best movie makers watch a lot of movies. If you are having trouble getting out some new ideas it is a good idea to read some new material. Look both inside and outside your own industry.

3. Clear your mind
Sometimes the best thing you can do is clear your mind of all the clutter and stress that is floating around. It is these extra thoughts that often create the block. Sometimes writer’s block isn’t about having no thoughts, it is about having too many thoughts.

Meditation is a good way to clear your mind. Take a look at this post for some ideas about relaxing and letting go of your thoughts.

4. Talk to someone else
Sometimes it is a really good idea to get a new perspective on what you are trying to do. Ring up a work colleague or a family member and ask them to help you brain storm for a few moments. Nine times out of ten the person will be thrilled that you called them and the session will end up giving you a few new ideas.

5. Get back to what inspires you
If you think about it there is usually a long term reason you are doing what you are doing. For example, you might want to become a lawyer because you think Alan Shore in Boston Legal is a really good guy. Or you might want to become a doctor because you want to be just like the gals in Grey’s Anatomy. Or maybe you have a more solid motivation!

Whatever inspires you it is a good idea to go back and look at it when you are experiencing writer’s block. When I am struggling to find something to write about here on TDM I like to read a book by the Dalai Lama.

6. Open yourself up
This idea is bordering being a little bit too fruity but sometimes it really does work. Often times one can sit in one’s chair and just open up to the world. Let thoughts and emotions come and go naturally and see what happens. If you are open to all forms of inspiration sometimes an idea will hit you when you least expect it.

This is certainly a better frame of mind to be in than sitting there all tight and agitated that you cannot find anything to write about and are wasting precious writing time. Try opening up and see what inspiration hits you.

7. Just do it

Nike

Nike created the best slogan ever. Just do it. When you can’t think of anything to write about, just write. When you can’t think of any new ideas, just write. It doesn’t matter what you write as long as you are writing something. Sooner or later you will get back on track. Just write down everything that comes into your head. This is often called automatic writing.

The other point that the slogan “just do it” brings up is that we often procrastinate in very subtle ways. Sometimes it is because we are spending too much time on Facebook and other times it is because we are tricking ourselves into thinking we aren’t in the right frame of mind to write. Make sure you aren’t procrastinating and just do it.

Conclusion on writer’s block

It is important to remember that writer’s block is not permanent. It will pass. The more frustrated you get the longer it will take to pass. Relax and let your tensions go.

Does anyone have any other tips?

top photo: photo credit: Waldengirl

Originally posted on April 11, 2008 @ 3:10 am

5 of the Worst Jobs in the World

Life

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own little worlds we forget that there are people out there who have it a lot worse than we do. Lets have a look at some of the worst jobs in the world.

5 of the worst jobs in the world

1. Guy who holds the “target” for target practice

Worst Jobs - Guy who holds the target

I don’t know what country this is in but it really is pretty hilarious. Let’s just hope and pray that this isn’t what it looks like! The Occupation Health and Safety Officer at my work would have a heart attack if he saw this.

2. Empire State Building Construction Workers

Lunch at the Empire State Construction Site

If you are afraid of heights then this photo might very well make you sick. This shot is from Lewis Hine and shows the construction workers at the Empire State Building construction site. I have seen some footage of this and it really is that high and they don’t have any protective gear, harnesses, ropes, etc. at all. I wonder how many men fell?

3. Navy Seal Getting Eaten by Shark

Shark attacking Navy Seal

Imagine going to your job to do some basic drills and a giant great white shark jumps out of the water and drags you to your death. Sound fun? Didn’t think so…

When I first saw this photo I thought it looked too amazing to be real. I did some research and it turns out to be a Photoshop fake. It is a merger of two photos from a popular magazine.

4. Britney Spears’ Assistant

Britney Spears and her assistant

We do a little bit of Britney bashing here at TDM but in reality we feel kind of sorry for her. However, one person I feel even more sorry for is her assistant. Can you imagine what this woman has to deal with? This has got to be one of the worst jobs in the world.

5. A Chinese Call Center

Call center in China

I don’t know about you but this job seems like a nightmare. It would be so noisy and I imagine it would be near impossible to concentrate. No personal space, no privacy, no time to play on Facebook.

Originally posted on April 9, 2008 @ 12:03 am

Stressed Sleep: How to Stop Stressing About Work at Night

Body, Life

One of the most common reasons that Americans give when asked why they can’t sleep is that they are stressing about work. We lay awake all night thinking about deadlines, important meetings and pay checks. And when this post on waking up fresh became popular I realized that a lot of people were having trouble with their sleep.

In this post I want to look at some basic strategies you can use to stop stressing about work when you are trying to sleep.

How to stop laying awake at night stressing

About a year ago something happened with my online business that kept me up for a few nights because I was running over everything in my head. This post is a product of that time; these are strategies I used to help me get to sleep.

1. Tie up loose ends at work
One of the simplest things you can do to ensure you get to sleep is make sure you have tied up as many loose ends as possible at work. Sometimes this might involve staying back at work for an extra hour but it will be worth it if that hour allows us to get to sleep on time.

The loose ends could be an unfinished report, paperwork or even just sorting out your upcoming deadlines. Try to get as much done as you can.

2. Look at the stressed thoughts
One of the most powerful techniques you can use to stop stressing about work is to look at the nature of the thoughts themselves. This is an ancient Buddhist meditation.

As you are laying in your bed you will notice that thoughts come up in an endless torrent. You worry about this, stress about that and it never ends. Gently shift your focus away from the subject of the thought and look at the actual thought itself. Every time a thought comes up take a look at it. Where is it? Where does it come from? Where does it go?

After a few minutes you will see that thoughts really aren’t that powerful. This technique will also help you slow down the torrent.

3. Use logical arguments
My father is a very logical man. When I was 16 I was playing in a soccer team that had won every game of the season. To win the championship cup we had to win the grand final and the night before the game I was a mess. I was thinking about my position and whether I was ready and i just couldn’t get to sleep! It drove me mad.

At about 1am I trounced out into the kitchen stressed that I was going to be tired the next day for the game. My father was in there finishing off some work and he asked me what I was doing up. I complained that I couldn’t sleep because I was stressing about the game and this is what he told me:

“There’s no point in worrying about the game now. You can’t do any more preparation than you’ve already done. Whether you win or lose will depend on how hard you play on the day. Worrying will impact on that so you need to relax.”

He was right. Worrying was not going to help me prepare anymore.

The same goes for work.

Laying in bed thinking about your job is not going to get anything done. It will not help you solve any problem. Thinking about things over and over only raises more questions, it never helps you find the solution.

Another logical argument that has brought me a lot of deep sleep:

“If the problem can be solved, why worry? If the problem cannot be solved, worrying will be of no use.” – Shantideva

Sometimes we need to tell ourselves that worrying will not solve anything – now is the time for sleep.

4. Look at the space between the stress
Another meditation technique that can help you get to sleep is to look at the space between each stressful thought.

Thoughts are a lot like waves on the ocean. One will arise and then dissolve and before the next one can come up there has to be some space or calm. Try to gently look for it. To do this you need to become like an impartial observer or a spy. Quietly shift your attention to the thought and look for the space between the death of one thought and the birth of the next. This can bring a deep calm.

5. Learn to focus on your breath

photo credit: kiwanee2001

Breathing meditation is the oldest and the most simple way to relax. It is taught by meditation masters, relaxation therapists and doctors around the world as a way to get your mind to slow down.

Lay down in your bed and get comfy. Close your eyes and breathe through your nose. Start to become aware of the feeling of the air entering your nose and flowing down into your lungs. The task is now to stay focussed on the breath for ten cycles. A cycle is one inhale and one exhale. If your mind wanders off to stressful thoughts simply start again from one.

Every time I do this I fall asleep within about 30 breaths. It is a good practice to get in to because the breathing also helps you enter a much deeper state of sleep and you will wake up feeling refreshed and amazing.

6. Learn the habit of leaving work at work
I once knew a psychiatrist who worked with extremely violent patients at an inner city hospital. He used to tell us of some pretty horrible stories of things that he had seen and heard. I asked him how he dealt with it all and stopped himself from getting upset or depressed and he told me that he learned the habit of leaving work at work.

This is an important thing to recognize – leaving work at work is a habit. It is something that you need to develop. You are not going to be able to stop thinking about work straight away; you will need some practice.

Start by thinking about your job as a whole. What do you do? Then think about a part of that job that you do everyday. For example, a police officer might select “filling out crime reports”. The task then is to not think about that part of your job from the moment you step out of the office. Every time your mind wanders back to that topic you should remind yourself that you are not thinking about that at all.

Over time you can increase this to your whole job. It will take some practice but you can do it.

7. Quit your job
In all seriousness, if your job is causing you to lose sleep on a regular basis and thereby affecting your health it is not worth sticking to. Start looking for new work tomorrow. When you find that new work it is time to quit that stressful job.

Any other tips?

I would love to hear any other tips you all have about forgetting about work and getting to sleep. Does anyone else have trouble sleeping because they are thinking too much?

top image: photo credit: desi.italy

Originally posted on April 8, 2008 @ 12:09 am

Buddhist Work: Things I Learned About Work from my Tibetan Friends

Mind, Mindfulness, Personal Growth, Spirit, Spirituality

Every year I travel to the North Indian Himalayas to see my Tibetan friends and Buddhist teachers. In that time I have learned a lot of life lessons and a lot of lessons about how to make my work more meaningful. In this post I want to look at a few things my Tibetan friends taught me about work.

Tibet, Buddhism and a happy workplace

Before I get into the lessons I thought I would explain why I feel the Tibetan people have a lot to offer us westerners in terms of work lessons.

Tibet was a Buddhist country where the peaceful religion permeated every single household, shop, farm, school, etc. It has been there for hundreds of years.

Tibet was invaded by the Chinese in 1959 and many took refuge in India. Here they continue to live as practicing Buddhists – their culture still alive and well. And one of the first things you see when you go into a Tibetan owned business is Buddhist imagery. They base their work around their spiritual life and because of this steadfast trust in their spirituality they learn to deal with stress, anger and work pressures in a very different way. These methods are what we are going to look at today.

Lessons I learned about work from my Tibetan friends

With all that in mind here are a few things I learned from my Tibetan friends about making my work a happier and more spiritual place.

1. Compassion for all beings

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – HH the Dalai Lama

The very core and basis of Buddhism is that all beings are suffering and wish to be happy. With this in mind Buddhists take a vow where they promise to serve and protect all sentient beings for as long as they live. This compassion is not biased or choosy – all sentient beings deserve this compassion – even people we meet in the workplace! [Read more…] about Buddhist Work: Things I Learned About Work from my Tibetan Friends

Originally posted on April 7, 2008 @ 1:24 am

How to Fix a Sore Back at Work – Does Your Back Hurt?

Body

Sore back

I think back injuries are the most common health problem people experience at work. In this post I want to look at some of the causes and some ways you can tackle the problem.

What causes a sore back at work?

Depending on the kind of work you do there are a few things that can cause a sore back. For the purpose of this post we are going to assume that you are like me; sitting at a desk looking at a computer for the majority of the day.

I will go through the major causes and give them an indication of severity.

1. Hunching Forward
Severity: Moderate to High

Hunching forward is when you roll your shoulders towards the computer so that the back of your neck has to curve for your to look straight ahead. It is quite a serious posture problem as it blocks a lot of the blood flow to your head and is very bad for the neck.

Sitting like this will cause pain in the upper back and neck and probably give you a headache. Over time your posture can permanently change and your headaches will last longer.

2. Sitting with one leg tucked in
Severity: Moderate

I often sit with one leg tucked under my bottom in sort of a “half crossed leg” position. I don’t know why I do this but I have since found out that it has caused me some pretty serious back problems. [Read more…] about How to Fix a Sore Back at Work – Does Your Back Hurt?

Originally posted on April 2, 2008 @ 1:07 am