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Aug 2011  |  By Emily Eckhous  |  Comments

20-Minute Timeout: Find Your Happy Place at Work

Ever feel stressed at work? Wish you could escape to the beach for a few minutes?

Kelli Underwood, director of child and family programs at Skokie’s Center for Contextual Change shares this exercise for re-centering yourself, or to re-booting when you’re stressed out.

Sit with both feet on the floor or lie down, if possible. You can do this with your eyes closed or open, whichever you prefer. Give yourself permission to fully experience this—where do you want to go to relax? You can go anywhere, whether it’s a vacation spot, your bedroom at home or somewhere you’ve never visited.

Now transport yourself to your place of choice. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Listen for sounds in your place. Are there fragrances? Can you touch something? Is there something you can taste? Notice if your breathing has changed, and what it feels like to relax. How large or small is your place? What is the temperature like?

Do whatever you would like in your place. Dig your toes into the sand or go for a walk. At the end of your time there, you may find a resource for when you return that can help you relax in the future.

This process can be an internal resource for you, and is always available when you need to find a quick boost of energy or remove yourself from a stressful situation—when you can’t actually escape, Underwood says. Some people even use this to relax before going to sleep. Try it for yourself—it only takes a few minutes!