October 7, 2016: Namaste @ Work with Lynn Chang

Topic

Namaste @ Work 

Date

07 Oct 2016

Attendees

Presenter: Lynn Chang

Other Attendees: Lauren Wrather Amber Serra Megan Fortson Merri S Wilson Hernandez, Kyle E Eva Reavley Caroline Enriquez Tabitha McDaniel Rose Mastrangelo, Erica Fennewald, Katy Redd, 

Discussion Notes

• Lynn led the group in a workshop entitled, Namaste@Work. We started by discussing what we find draining and/or stressful at work:

  -          To-do lists multiplied (work, family, household, etc.)

  -          Dealing with difficult personalities/energy and energy vampires (i.e., how full is your bucket?)

  -          General stress (e.g., deadlines, things not going the way they should)

  Lynn suggests taking small breaks for a walk, to make tea, or do a few yoga poses. These small breaks have a cumulative restorative effect, like putting $1 in a jar every day. To get these breaks in, consider setting phone alarms, especially for the time of day when you know your energy wanes.

  Lynn also suggested using the walk into work from the parking garage or bus stop to practice GIVE:

  • Gratitude (i.e., what are you grateful for today)
  • Intention (i.e., set your intention for the day, such as being productive, helpful, or calm)
  • Visualization (i.e., visualize your happy place and the happiness radiating through your body starting at the heart center)
  • Energy (i.e., think about how you will replenish yourself/fill your bucket)

  We have control only over our internal world: our thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions. Our overwhelm can be eased by careful attention management, not just time management. Practice taking breaks and giving yourself a chance to both rest and sleep every day in order to nourish and care for yourself.

  Lynn led us through three restorative 7-minute yoga poses she referred to as “instant Maui” (in which we laid on the floor and put our feet and calves on a chair, then daydreamed), “bread and butter” (in which we laid on the floor with our knees bent and our spines along a rolled up towel, then imagined ourselves as butter melting onto a warm baguette), and a heart opener (in which we laid on the floor with the rolled up towel perpendicular to our spine aligned along the bra line and visualized the love we give to people flowing back to us).

  Our homework: do 10 minutes of restorative work breaks per day for 10 days.

  Lynn is available to do Namaste@Work workshops with offices and teams. She also offers several other services through her practice. You can contact her at mycareerzen@gmail.com or 512.589.5966.

Action items/Follow Up Notes from Lynn

Hello UT Working Moms!

 It was such a pleasure meeting you and showing you some tips and techniques I've developed for the workplace. These activities really helped me to relieve stress, be better at my job, and have energy left for my home life. I hope you gained something useful from our time together! Below is a summary of what we covered. My challenge/invitation to you is to practice these tips for 10 mins/day for 10 days (M-F, 2 wks) and see what happens. I'll be checking in with you next Friday!

• Practice a daily ritual. 

  Doing something simple and consistent is key. It's like putting $1 into your bank account each time. Over the course of 10 days (2 weeks) you will hopefully notice a difference in how you feel, a shift within taking place. That's how you know you're on the right track. Set an alarm on your phone for mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks everyday (Mine is around 10am and 3pm). Give yourself the 10-15 minute break that UT offers, and don't let your mind try to convince you otherwise! 

   

  INSTANT MAUI

  With your legs up a chair, sofa, or wall, let your arms stretch up like cactus arms or rest them on your stomach. This pose brings circulation throughout the body, pooling resources to your core center where you can build up more energy, and pumping blood up to your legs and providing passive cardio. Your mind will want to wander and make to-do lists. Give her a task: daydream of being in Maui, handpick who you want with you (or be alone), and just let your imagination go. Your thoughts will come and go, invite your mind to travel to any part of the world you want to be :) The task is simple: think happy thoughts.

   

  BREAD AND BUTTER

  You will be on the floor with your knees bent for balance and support. Slowly come to laying on your rolled up towel along the length of your spine. Your hips are on the floor and the towel begins at your low back and your head rests on the towel. Vary your foot position so you feel relaxed and steady. Imagine your spine is a stick of butter and the rolled towel is a baguette. Your mind's task is to visualize your spine slowly melting into the butter with each breath. After 10 minutes, remove the towel and lay flat on your back to reset the spine. Your back should feel awesome! 

   

  HEART OPENER

  Lay on the floor with your knees bent for balance and support. Place a rolled up towel horizontally across your back, under your heart, along your bra line. Your arms can be out wide or cactus arms. This stretch is great for undoing hours of being hunched over a computer, driving in a car, or picking up kids. You can always decrease the roll height if it's too much sensation. Your mind's task is to visualize all the love that your heart gives to others, and to visualize all of this love returning back to your heart. This is about the karmic cycle of giving and receiving in equal amounts. Fill your bucket with some yoga love! 

  I would love to use these pictures to show other people what the presentation looks like. Let me know if you have any concerns; I won't tag people. I'm hoping to visit lots of groups on and off-campus. Would you help me spread the word? This presentation is currently free for a limited time!

   

  With gratitude,

  Lynn

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