Feeling stressed? It seems everyone is experiencing a heightened level of stress these days during the pandemic. Meeting planners have had to cancel, postpone, and reschedule events, learn about mitigating health risks, develop new contract strategies and take on new technologies to support virtual and hybrid events.

High stress levels and spikes in anxiety impair concentration and creativity. Taking care of yourself and alleviating stress is important for your body, mind, and happiness. However, it can be challenging to find ways to de-stress and relax — especially if you sit at a desk for most of the day.

Whether you are working remotely at home or in the office, there are lots of ways to de-stress at your desk. Sure, you have likely heard them all before as the idea is nothing new, but you may learn something new to try or be reminded of some you may have forgotten.

Woman at Desk

Here are a dozen ways you can improve your health and well-being and lower stress right at your desk:

  1. When wearing a mask, pop in a mint or lightly dab some essential lavender oil on it
  2. Focus on your breathing and take several deep breaths, slowly inhaling and exhaling
  3. Stretch out your legs, roll your head to stretch your neck, and twist from side to side
  4. Gently massage the upper part of your ears or the web of the thumbs for a bit
  5. Close your eyes and think of three things you are grateful for today while smiling
  6. Put an uplifting inspirational quote where you can see it and read it out loud
  7. Eat healthy snacks that are full of protein and healthy fats – plan ahead for the week
  8. Visualize being in a place that makes you happy where you feel safe and loved
  9. Bring nature into your office by adding some plants to improve cognitive performance
  10. Envision your next vacation and all the things you look forward to doing
  11. Doodle to help you focus, get your creative juices flowing and spark creativity
  12. Find the humor and put some fun into every day knowing that laughter boosts your spirit

Remember to make time to take care of yourself. As you practice different de-stress techniques, take note of things that work better than others. You may find it helpful to schedule times throughout the day to do specific exercises that work best for you. Incorporating effective ways to de-stress at your desk is essential to your health and overall well-being and will help you be more creative and productive.