Rituals play an important role in our personal and professional lives. The purpose of a ritual is to set an intention to achieve a desired outcome. When we think of rituals, we tend to think of religious or communal practices. But you don’t have to be a priest, shaman or guru to practice rituals. Most of us unknowingly practice rituals everyday upon awakening and before getting to our workstation. And when we consciously and intentionally put them into practice, calming rituals regulate work stress.
The Importance Of Work Rituals
Rituals are fixed and repeated sequences of actions before, during and after a meaningful event that people take to achieve a set of desired outcomes. Common examples of rituals are marriage ceremonies in which the bride wears white and is kissed by the groom after the nuptials. At the conclusion of commencement, graduates wear a cap and gown and flip their tassel from one side of their mortarboard cap to another. At birthday parties, the traditional ritual is to sing “Happy Birthday,” and light and blow out the candles on the cake.
Chances are, you unconsciously perform rituals at work. For example, before making a presentation to colleagues, you might repeat a mantra, take three or four deep breaths or repeat a series of self-affirmations to boost your motivation and confidence.
Rituals give our work lives structure and help us feel more in control. They make it possible to follow through on activities we might otherwise procrastinate on. According to Michael Norton, Harvard Business School Professor, we use rituals everyday to calm ourselves down, amp ourselves up and to connect with others. Norton also says that he believes workplace rituals are important to bring employees together. “Teams with simple rituals, like carving out time for coffee with colleagues once a week or kicking off team meetings by sharing weekend plans before jumping into work talk, report finding more meaning in their work,” he asserts.
I wrote a story for Forbes.com about how one company known as MUDWTR uses breathing rituals to start team meetings to boost mental health, performance and profitability. Company-wide meetings start a little differently than at most workplaces. A breath worker leads the 30-plus-person team in five-minute breathing techniques. After seeing how breathwork has transformed the all-hands meetings, Shane Heath the founder and CEO of the company, considers breathwork to be a non-negotiable ritual for MUDWTR’s culture.
4 Daily Calming Rituals To Regulate Work Stress
Stress has become an all-too-common part of our daily lives. According to Ipsos research, one in three adults report that stress has significantly impacted their lives multiple times over the past year, with one in 10 working adults admitting thinking about leaving their job due to stress.
Other studies show that rituals lower stress and anxiety and the stress reduction enhances performance on tasks. In fact, just knowing that you have a ritual in place alleviates stress and anxiety and brings peace of mind.
Walter Gjergja, a mindfulness expert and Shaolin master, who also serves as the co-founder and chief fitness officer of Zing Coach—a leading AI-powered personal trainer app—shares four calming rituals rooted in Shaolin wisdom that can help soothe work stress and anxiety.
1. Breath Resets
“Shaolin monks understand that breath is the key to controlling both body and mind. When anxiety creeps in, a quick breath reset can work wonders. For two minutes, focus on taking deep, controlled breaths: inhale deeply through your nose for four counts, hold for a second, then exhale slowly through your nose for six counts.
With each breath cycle, make the inhaling and exhaling a little longer, deeper and smoother. This technique shifts your nervous system from ‘fight or flight’ to ‘rest and digest,’ signaling safety to your brain. It’s not just about relaxing—it’s about rewiring your body’s reaction to stress. Anytime anxiety spikes, take those two minutes to reset, and over time, you’ll find that your body becomes more resilient to stress.”
2. Morning Body Awareness Ritual
“Shaolin monks start their day with mindful movement to connect with their bodies. You can bring this practice into your morning routine by spending just five minutes stretching or doing light yoga. As you move, don’t rush—feel each muscle and joint as it stretches, notice where there’s tightness or ease and breathe into those areas.
This isn’t just about warming up your body; it’s about bringing awareness to how you feel physically and mentally at the start of your day. Tuning into your body early helps you approach your day with a clearer, more grounded mind, preparing you for whatever challenges come your way.”
3. Practice Thought Detachment
“Shaolin monks train their minds to observe without attachment, which helps them stay centered. You can use this approach when faced with anxious or intrusive thoughts. Instead of engaging with these thoughts, practice seeing them as passing clouds—acknowledge them, but let them drift away without reacting emotionally.
This practice teaches your brain that not every thought requires immediate attention or action. The more you practice detaching from thoughts, the more control you’ll gain over your mental state.”
4. Qi Gong Flow
“Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese practice rooted in the belief that controlled movement, breath and focus can balance your body’s energy. To try this, spend a few minutes standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Slowly move your arms in sweeping, circular motions, imagining that you’re moving energy around your body.
Keep your breath slow and rhythmic, matching the pace of your gentle movements. What it does is release physical tension, align your breath with movement, and calm your nervous system. It’s a gentle, effective way to release anxiety and restore inner calm.”
A Final Takeaway
Chronic work stress creates roadblocks to relaxation and productivity and can lead to burnout—even loss in company profitability. It disconnects us from ourselves, other people and our surroundings, plus it keeps our stress needle elevated. Science shows that calming rituals regulate work stress. The MUDWTR culture is a cutting-edge example of how businesses can use work rituals to support employee mental health.
You can practice the aforementioned calming practices on a regular basis. So, carry this simple calming ritual to work with you today; take a slow, deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth before you start your workday. If you’re a manager, consider sharing these innovative meeting-starters with your team, and watch teamwork, morale and performance lift and company profits soar.