5 Ways to Be a Zen Dog at Work

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During National Service Dog Month, we’ve invited a few of the canine contributors at Dell to share their insights with us on Direct2Dell – as told to their humans. Today we hear from Adella who shared with her human Alyssa Minwell tips for being staying Zen at work.

Dell Service Dog Adella

Letting your stress control you is like the tail wagging the dog. When your workday rubs you the wrong way, try one of these five strategies for stress relief.

1. Breathe

Sometimes you’re panting and don’t even notice! And shallow breathing just reinforces your anxiety. Consciously slow your breath and breathe deeply into your belly for at least three minutes to lower your blood pressure and tamp down on your body’s stress response.

2. Go for a walk

You might feel too busy to take a break, but you’re barking up the wrong tree with that attitude! Lying there obsessively gnawing on the same chew toy all day isn’t good for you – or your productivity. Get up, give yourself a good shake, and physically leave your workspace. Walk outside, if you can, for the fresh air, a vitamin D boost – and all those interesting new smells! Then you can head back with your mind as clean as a hound’s tooth!

3. De-clutter

It happens to me too: I look around my cubicle and see tennis balls and rawhide scattered everywhere. Sigh. But we intuitively know that we work best in an orderly space, so clear out the mess and watch your performance soar like that red Frisbee I caught that one time!

4. Get the kinks out

I get pats every day, and it makes a huge difference. Maybe you can’t roll over and ask for a belly rub like I can, but you can give yourself a massage. Rub your shoulders and neck to alleviate the strain of staring at your monitor all day. Massage your hands to relax them after too much typing. There are even acupressure points on your wrists, hands, and ears that help relieve stress.

5. Remember that you’re not alone

Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re whining. In fact, your pack is one of your greatest assets! It’s okay to call in a favor from someone whose back you’ve scratched. Ask your boss to help you define priorities if you have too much on your plate (I can also help if you have too much on your plate – especially if it’s steak!).

Dell service dog Adella with a communications headsetAdella will be seven years old in December and was born in California and began her training there. She spent a year and a quarter with her puppy raiser who socialized her and exposed her to different situations. Next, she was formally trained to be a guide dog in Oregon for 10 weeks. Following her training, she spent two weeks training her handler, Alyssa. She now is a Professional Guide Dog and even has her own cubical here at Dell. Adella has been working with Alyssa for five years. On her time off, she loves spending time with Buddy, a large Lab/American Bull dog mix.


Hear more from Adella and her human in this video:

About the Author: Alyssa Minwell

I lost my sight at the age of three from brain cancer. I attended the University of Texas San Antonio and graduated in 2015 with my Bachelors in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. I have been working at Dell for two years as an Account Manager in Dell sales.
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