4 Practices for Reentry
Image: Shutterstock/Jorm S
Are you getting ready to return to office after nearly 2 years of working from home? Take solace that this moment feels overwhelming to everyone. It requires that we adapt to a “new” way of being after we’ve already adapted so much over the past couple years. Our nervous systems are designed for acute stress; not for the prolonged. Therefore, it’s important that we continually nudge our nervous systems to baseline as we reenter. Here are 4 easy practices to try. I recommend keeping all of them in your arsenal, practicing each on a daily basis, and calling on them whenever they are needed. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be an anxious person by nature to benefit from these practices as they can help anyone going through change or difficulty.
Box Breathing
Also known as 4x4 breath, Box Breathing was invented by the U.S. Navy for nervous system regulation. Do every morning for 5 minutes and as needed. Link here for instructions. If 5 minutes is too much, start with 1 minute and work your way up as you are able. And it always helps to be conscious of your breath throughout the day, ensuring that you aren’t holding your breath, and breathing in and out of your belly whenever you think of it.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
The vagus nerve runs from the head all through the torso, to the extremities, and down to the pelvis, delivering information from brain to body and back again. It makes up a substantial part of the parasympathetic nervous system which is the “rest and digest” aspect of our total nervous system. Improving the “tone” of this nerve assures that we remain in a steady state of contentment. This is how mammals in the wild can be so relaxed and then spring to action on demand. Link here for more information and instruction. You can do this every morning after your Box Breathing, and also on the fly as needed.
Containment with Safe Touch
Imagine being your own weighted blanket. This is that! In moments when you feel “outside” your body or as if some panic is coming on, Somatic Experiencing can help “pull” you back into your body. This one in particular is easy to do in the moment: it’s as easy as giving yourself a hug. You can find instructions for Containment with Safe Touch (among other SE practices) here.
Shaking Meditation
You know when animals tremble during or after a stressful situation? Have you ever been so panicked that you’ve started to shake? That is not a sign of weakness but an ingenious way to discharge excess energy. In other words, it’s a feature, not a bug! This shaking meditation is to simply “shake off” the excess stress of the day as soon as you get home from work and other accountabilities. The idea is to shake it all off in a controlled way. And it’s so easy! Just crank up a danceable tune and shake your body! You can dance and shake different limbs, moving intuitively so your nervous system can discharge the unnecessary energy. Do for 1-3 songs and see how you feel. One client said to me, “This doesn’t just help me neutralize, it makes me feel joy!” And isn’t joy the ultimate antidote?
In creativity and compassion —