Overcoming a Toxic Office

I came across a great article in the Harvard Business Review about the importance of healing from a toxic work environment. I know from personal experience as well as from working with my clients: Workplace traumas can be just as potent as those from personal relationships.

According to a recent study, the average American will spend 90,000 hours of their lifetime at work That's a very significant amount of time, and working in a difficult or toxic environment can lead to stress and anxiety, which can cause chronic inflammation, diabetes, and many other health conditions.

Escaping a toxic work environment is a positive first step. But even if you land in a supportive and healthy office, it can be tough to heal from your past experiences.

As a Reiki master, I’ve worked with many intelligent, capable professionals who have been struggling to recover from the unpredictability, fear-mongering, and sometimes even bullying they endured at the office. The damage follows them even when they move on to a new role. Despite having a supportive manager and team, they are hypersensitive to criticism or perceived rejection. One client told me she was afraid to make even the tiniest mistake since her last manager focused on her failures instead of her triumphs.

You can take steps to manage the emotional and mental toll of a toxic workplace. I am a firm believer in meditation and practice TM twice a day for 20 minutes. But for lingering pain, Reiki can help identify where the energy from trauma sits in your body and help heal it. You can also use a yoga move like the downward dog or the cat pose, which will help you feel more grounded and less reactive to negative emotions.

You deserve to be in a healthy work environment that provides opportunities for you to grow and develop professionally without feeling undervalued or unmotivated. The first step to recovering from a toxic work environment is realizing it is not your fault.