Fatigue: 7-minute self-compassion meditation, in the office

About this practice

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of self-compassion for fatigue, in the office. A guided session of about 7 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: fatigue

Fatigue is deep tiredness of the kind that sleep does not fully clear, usually after a stretch of sustained demand.

It tends to show up as:

• Tired behind the eyes all day
• Heavy limbs
• Rest that does not refresh

Here the practice should be restful rather than stimulating. Quiet and unambitious is the right dose.

Doing this at your desk

• Feet flat, back supported, screen away from your eyeline
• You can do this with your eyes open if the office makes closing them awkward
• Unclench the jaw and drop the shoulders first, before anything else

Nobody needs to know you are doing it. Keep it invisible if that makes it possible.

How self-compassion works

Self-compassion practice changes the tone of the inner voice rather than the content of the thoughts. It uses the same warmth and steadiness you would offer a friend, applied without requiring you to have earned it.

• Use the words you would actually say to someone you love
• Ask what you need, not what you deserve
• A hand on the chest or belly gives warmth and pressure a place to land

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00There is nothing to get right here. Nothing is being scored.
2. 0:12Notice the tone you are using on yourself. If it would wound a friend, it is not the truth.
3. 0:28Notice the weight of your arms without moving them.
4. 0:39Let your body be exactly as tired as it is.
5. 0:51Let the exhale empty you a little more than usual, but not to the point of strain.
6. 1:06Feel the last part of the exhale, where it turns into nothing.
7. 1:19Notice your whole body as one shape, sitting or lying here.
8. 1:31Feel your palms. Warm or cool, either is fine.
9. 1:42Move to your forehead. Let it be smooth instead of gathered.
10. 1:54You do not have to like the bone-deep tiredness to breathe through it. Liking was never the requirement.
11. 2:10If you catch yourself fighting the heaviness behind your eyes, that is worth noticing. The fight usually costs more than the feeling.
12. 2:28Notice your heels making contact with the floor or the bed.
13. 2:40Let the quiet do its work.
14. 2:50Let your breathing get quieter rather than deeper.
15. 3:01Feel the soles of your feet. All the weight of you goes through them.
16. 3:15If you feel restless, that's a feeling, not a failure.
17. 3:27Let's rest here in silence. It's short.
18. 3:37The question is not what you deserve. It is what you need, right now, in this moment.
19. 3:52If you're judging your performance, that's the same habit as judging everything else.
20. 4:05Let your ribs widen on the in-breath instead of your shoulders lifting.
21. 4:18Quiet for a moment. No need to fill it.
22. 4:29Nothing about the end of the reserves has to be explained or justified in this room.
23. 4:44Feel the weight of the bone-deep tiredness somewhere specific, then let the floor take a share of it.
24. 5:00Follow the breath down into your belly and feel it come back up.
25. 5:13If your body wants to move, let it move, then come back.
26. 5:26Notice if your attention is in the future. Bring it back to the room.
27. 5:40Quiet now. The next part will wait for you.
28. 5:51Say it once, plainly: this is hard, and I am allowed to find it hard.
29. 6:05Notice the room again: the sounds, the temperature, the light.
30. 6:17Let the pace of the last few minutes set the pace of the next few.
31. 6:31A few seconds more.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.