Banish New Job Jitters with Meditation & Mindfulness
Congratulations – you’re starting a new job! Although we wholeheartedly believe this is a time to celebrate, we know that beginning a new job – whether it’s with a new company, role or a promotion to a higher position – can bring up many thoughts and feelings including but not limited to stress & anxiety, bursts of excitement, and even fear or imposter syndrome.
We want you to know that you are not alone. In fact, LinkedIn survey data shows that 80% of professionals actually experience nerves when starting a new job, and unsurprisingly, first-day jitters get even more intense in the last days leading up to their start date or even last through the first few months.
You may be left asking yourself, “How can I quell these feelings to ensure I’m present and connected with myself during the first few weeks on the job (and beyond)?”. Our answer – test out incorporating meditation & mindfulness into your daily routine! Research at companies like Google, Aetna and Intel has shown that increasing mindfulness at work can decrease stress levels while improving focus, thoughtfulness, decision-making abilities and overall well-being – all things that can allow you to feel more at ease and leave your mind free to absorb all new information and ideas.
When should you incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your routine?
The answer is… any time of day that suits you or whenever you feel the need to ground or reconnect to yourself and your breath.
Try meditating prior to starting your workday (or your first day!) to jump into it all cool, calm and collected, allowing you to absorb information with ease and make a lasting first impression with your new work colleagues.
You can also incorporate meditation and mindfulness throughout your day as needed, whether it be between meetings or on your lunch break, to refocus yourself and decompress from a full-on morning.
New job jitters don’t typically end with your workday – incorporating mindfulness and meditation after work can help you to disconnect, unwind and process your emotions from the day without judgement.
How should you go about practicing meditation and mindfulness?
When creating a mindfulness or meditation practice for yourself, we want you to know that there is no “right” way to do it. You can use guided meditations to help you through, simply give yourself a moment of silence to reflect and allow your thoughts to come and go, or if meditation doesn’t feel right for you in the moment, you can go analog by putting a pen to paper and journaling.
If you’re looking to meditate but aren’t sure where to start, here are a few pointers to set you down the right path:
Take a seat and sit with your back tall. If this doesn’t feel comfortable for you, feel free to get into any position that serves you best in the moment.
Set a time limit for yourself if you’re new to meditation – there’s no pressure to practice for long periods of time, even just 2 minutes can be beneficial for your mind and wellbeing.
Let your breath come naturally but notice the sensation as it flows in and out – what part of your body are you breathing into?
Notice when your mind has wandered, but let your thoughts pass without criticism or obsession.
When you’re finished with your practice, gently lift your gaze and take note of how your body and mind feel after allowing yourself space to simply be.
If you feel as though you need some gentle guidance with your meditations, discover some of our favourite resources to get you started:
Chapter Two Founder, Tess Sloane’s, Insight Timer Meditations
Tips for Mindfulness & Your Career with Eleven Eleven Talent
Starting a new job will almost always bring on some degree of nerves, but you need not let your mind fall victim to them. Meditation and mindfulness are powerful tools that you can incorporate into your routine prior to starting a new job to counter the brain’s negativity bias, release accumulated stress and support the reduction of anxiety and potential burnout down the line. These tools also support us in creating positive experiences and intentions, experiencing mindfulness and reaching higher levels of performance at work.
Ask yourself – will meditation and mindfulness benefit you now and in the future? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to go forth gently, and try new practices and ways of meditation or mindfulness that are most powerful and impactful for you.