Does your workplace have one of these?

It might be called something else in your organisation. I've spent time in offices offering 'Prayer Room', 'Quiet Time', and 'Do Not Disturb'. These rooms are different to the little spaces we can grab for solo, confidential work, generally a bit larger. They are sometimes dimly lit by something non-fluorescent and may include a soft chair and a floor cushion. One thing I've always noticed about these rooms, is that the door is normally ajar.

Was having a chat today with Theo McCall, Chaplain to St. Peter's College in Adelaide, and we touched for a bit on 'In Time', as denoted on the Healthy Mind Platter, considering briefly whether 'prayer' and 'meditation' are the same thing. Which sparked a thought for me about how we might integrate more of that platter into our lives, within the current constructs of the workplace.

For those of us who struggle to squeeze in a moment for ourselves - which is a large percentage, given how often the complaint is heard - we may need a nudge to remember to make use of this perquisite. It begins when we also remember that we’re doing ourselves, our #team, the client, and our business a favour when we take time to naturally integrate the things that #benefit our whole self. If I was reminded of the Quiet Room while discussing meditation and prayer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s all the room can be used for and a few of those platter items might be accomplished by making use of the space.

If you’re uncomfortable doing these recommendations for ‘Desk or Table Stretches’ from Get Active Victoria while you are actually AT your desk, might it work to duck into the Quiet Room for 20? Your only barrier is whether you will act when prodded by your watch or calendar that you are due for a break, assuming you’ve programmed breaks into your schedule. But you’ve done that bit, surely! ‘Soldiering On’ is sometimes mistaken for something that looks closer to dragging oneself across some imagined Finish Line, when what it really means is to have #hope in the face of adversity. To soldier on, we need both mental and physical strength.

Once in the room, you may decide that the desk/table stretches are a tad limited since, now, you can use the floor for some gentle yoga or tai chi, both of which are terrific for relieving tension. If it isn’t motion you require, and you seek the as-advertised Quiet to reinvigorate, meditation or prayer may be the ticket. Don’t discount the almighty nap! This list of Famous Nappers might inspire you to have a wee snooze.

It feels almost like giving away a secret, but the rooms are an oasis in most offices, hospitals, government buildings, shopping centres, airports, and schools. An important piece to integrating the habit is honouring your commitment to yourself, and doing it at the same time, every day. That you will use the same space each time you do this at work, only assists to embed the practice. Luckily, your body also tells you when you need to take a break; your job is to not ignore your body’s ques. If there isn’t already a Quiet Room where you work, consider being the changemaker: Identify a potential solution to the gap, and suggest it be implemented.

* The embedded yoga/tai chi/meditation/nap links are to 20-minute, guided sessions and can, of course, be done when working remotely. Take care of yourselves