5 Steps in 5 minutes to Reduce Anxiety Before Work

The hardest part of a job can be navigating the energy of the people you encounter. At work, you have an unspoken agreement to avoid certain topics or suppress unacceptable emotions. That means you have to guess, assume, or use your intuition to figure out what is left out of communications.

Reading a situation to discover hidden agendas, or simply trying to understand what’s not being said, opens the door to more than the answer. It allows other people’s energy into your space, changing the way you feel.

When another person’s energy alters your nervous system, it stresses your body and stimulates anxiety. Anxiety is a signal your body gives you that there is a threat.

Yet it is more than worrying about the threat of an unknown outcome that causes anxiety, it is the threat of making choices from an altered state. You are in an altered state when someone else’s needs, wants and desires are affecting your nervous system.

Everyone shows up at their work with a history both personal and professional, as well as a unique collection of patterns. This includes: how they respond in a new relationship, how they respond once they believe they have established themselves, what they think you expect of them, and what they expect of themselves in their role.

It's natural to read the people around you to get a feel for their expectations and unspoken needs. Yet it can allow their energy to get in your space and that causes stress.

I learned a lot about the impact of doing this during my 22 years working in the technology industry. I was opening myself up to read those around me each day at the office until I learned a simple visualization to manage my stress level before work each day.

It transformed my life, reduced stress and eliminated my anxiety. With these five steps you’ll set your boundaries and protect your energy so you don’t absorb negative energy from people around you, a primary reason for anxiety.

In five minutes, using five intentional visualization steps, you can set your boundaries and protect your energy so that you don’t find yourself anxious from encounters at work. It’s simple, you can do this visualization in the shower, while in bed before getting up, or while walking your dog.

Step one, acknowledge the support system that is always present, planet earth. Visualize your connection to the earth as a line of energy from the base of your spine. Imagine that this link from your body goes beneath the soil like tree roots, creating a flexible foundation. When you are grounded this way, it prevents other people’s energy from knocking you off balance.

Step two, bring your awareness to the center of your head, your analytical and intuitive mind. Take a moment to clear your head of anyone you feel in your space, whether an individual or group. Visualize the people moving out of your mind into a bubble. Send the bubble back to each person it belongs to, then pop it above their head. This ensures your mind is oriented toward your truth, not distorted by their expectations, needs, wants, or desires.

Step three, notice the space around your physical body. Your aura or energy field doesn’t end where your skin ends but extends beyond it. Have people been disregarding your boundaries? Time to define where your energy field ends and theirs begins. Visualize your aura bubble, let it rest comfortably about as far away from your body as your fingers can reach when your arms are outstretched. Use your imagination to paint your aura bubble a color, to more clearly define your energy field.

Step four, call your energy back to yourself. There are several ways you may lose energy at work. When you read the energy of a person to make sense of a situation, some of your awareness continues to track them, even when your focus changes. At times people will hook you by not responding or making a promise that never happens. They may cord your solar plexus to get some of your energy and direct it toward what they want. It’s important to reclaim that energy.

Imagine a big gold ball of light above your head that is magnetic. The magnet calls back all the bits of your energy that were lost to hooks, cords, or left tracking others. When the gold ball is full, imagine popping it and watch your reclaimed energy flow down into the top of your head. It fills you up from head to toe.

Step five, set protection for your energy at work in a way that does not create conflict or stress. Visualize a red rose in front of you, just outside of your aura bubble. It holds a high vibration inviting others to meet you in that positive, cooperative space. Set the intention that the protection rose filters out negative energy in your environment. With your imagination, make copies of this rose, behind your body, to your right side and left side, above your head and below your feet, so you have protection in all six directions.

You might want to practice the five steps with your eyes closed initially for more focus and get familiar with the flow. Once you are comfortable with these steps, try the practice eyes open, while walking, cooking or showering.

With this practice you are ready for the day and ready to keep anxiety at bay. You are connected to earth. Your mind is clear. Your personal space is defined. You have called your energy back to yourself. You have set high vibe protection. All in a short five minutes of focused visualization where it fits in your existing morning routine.

Don’t worry, this won’t stop you from getting great intuitive insights about encounters at work. It will simply prevent those involved from causing you as much stress.