image source bigstockphoto.com
Teaching can be stressful. The demands of the job left me anxious and exhausted. I was tense. My mind often turned to students and what I could be doing to help them. This took a toll on my life outside of work. My sleep was not restful. I was short-fused and in a bad mood. I neglected healthy eating and exercise. My health was suffering, as were my relationships. While taking a leave of absence, I decided to find ways to manage my stress better. I returned having learned some new skills that have worked pretty well to keep me calm and patient with a more positive outlook in my work and personal life.
I started practicing mindfulness meditation. The books and audio from the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Jon Kabat Zinn, really spoke to me. In his lectures and books like “Wherever You Go, There You Are,” he defines mindfulness as “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” Meditation has roots in eastern philosophies and religions, particularly Buddhism. But, for me, it is not a religious practice. I use it to improve my mental health and have found it to be applicable in all areas of my life.
My Formal Practice
I dedicate as little as ten minutes to one hour of time, sitting or lying down with or without listening to audio guidance. I focus on my breath at my nostrils, or check in to what I am thinking, feeling, and sensing in my body. Sometimes, I practice choiceless awareness and let anything happen while observing my thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, sounds from the outside, smells, and tastes.
My Informal Practice
Otherwise, I practice mindfulness informally throughout my day whenever I think to do so. For example, I focus on what I am seeing around me, like a tree that I pass by every day, or the feel of keyboard keys as I am typing, or tasting my tea, or noticing its heat as I put it in my mouth.
In the Classroom
Mindfulness meditation trained me to observe and not be so reactive. I learned to pause, slow down, and really choose how I respond to situations that seem urgent. Students can be stressed out themselves and transfer this to others. They benefit from a calm, compassionate presence. I am no longer loath to say, “I will think about it, give me some time,” or “I will get back to you.” Surprisingly, giving myself seconds more to think helps me problem-solve better, and I come up with solutions more readily when I relax and hit the pause button.
I am less apt to rush through class time and appreciate the ebb and flow of social interactions and independent work. The work can be very demanding and frustrating for students, so we take breaks, and when they get back on task they learn in a more focused manner. I have shown my students 3-minute meditations, and they have been keen to do them. It helps them calm down and re-focus. Hopefully, they carry this with them outside the classroom.
In Conclusion
Overall, mindfulness meditation has helped me reduce stress and be prepared for anything that comes up at work. I can now observe my reactions to stressors and check in to what I’m thinking and feeling. Sometimes I get curious and wonder why I feel so tense. It is in the wondering that the answer is found. Just being curious helps. I either problem-solve or accept it. Then, I choose a body part to relax, and another. This surprisingly helps to reduce my overall feeling of tension. If I can relax just my left leg, my whole body and mind feel more relaxed.
My mindfulness practice helps me be a more patient and compassionate teacher. I look to foster more pleasant experiences for myself, my students, and coworkers. Now, I make more conscious choices and find myself curious about many things. It is a work in progress, but so worthwhile. I recommend it to everyone.
What do you do to de-stress? Have you tried mindfulness meditation? What are some ways you can make your workplace less stressful?
Further reading
Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. 3rd ed. Hachette, 2023, 4.
Submit a Comment