Taking time for yourself while on travel therapy assignments is necessary for your overall well-being. If you want to de-stress, consider at-home facials, or even a session of meditation. In order to make sure you are getting the most out of your calm time, be sure to practice meditation in the appropriate manner.
Tips for success
Whether you’re taking a moment for meditation while at work or at home, there are some things you can do to make it more successful in taking away feelings of stress. First, you’ll want to find a quiet place to practice. While sitting, you should focus your attention on breathing as you slowly inhale deeply. On the exhale, envision all the negativity in your life leaving your surroundings. As you maintain this breathing cycle, be sure to keep your mind in a peaceful state – this is an opportunity to clear your thoughts and take a step back from your responsibilities as a travel PT.
Other important factors to take into consideration when practicing meditation include:
- Time of day: Sunrise and sunset are ideal, but the timing of your session need not cause added stress and should conveniently fit into your schedule.
- An empty stomach: Although a grumbling belly can interrupt your meditation, a full one will increase your chances for falling asleep.
- Ease out of it: At the end of your meditation, don’t just open your eyes and jump to your feet – instead, gently open your eyes and gradually become reacquainted with your surroundings.
Health benefits
It’s not a bad idea to share the option of meditating with the patients you work with on travel physical therapy jobs. Everyone has crazy schedules and deals with stress from time to time, so it’s likely that all could get some good from a meditation session. This will lead to happier days, and it might even provide some health benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation has been seen to help with:
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Issues sleeping
- Pain
- Substance abuse
Depending on your preferences, there are several different types of meditation to take part in. On a whole, each variety aims to help you gain inner peace. Some popular options currently include qi gong, tai chi and yoga – you may even be able to find a class to participate in.